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take5.ca
NOV 2023
An Unending Reverence for Mosses BY KALI BRAUCKMANN, NATURALIST ECOFORESTRY INSTITUTE SOCIETY, The forest beckons as a wondrous realm in which to lose oneself, rediscovering the tranquility of nature and that dormant, serene side hidden within. This peace, experienced upon entering the woods, springs from the thousands of textures and hues of the flora, the intimate proximity of trees, the gentle fragrant breeze and, most poignantly, the enchanting allure of mosses. To amble through areas swathed in moss, cushioning rocks and boulders, encircling tree trunks or draping from branches,
Magnificent leafy moss (Plagiomnium venustum) Photo: Kali Brauckmann
is to step into a realm both ancient and magical. Even a solitary patch of moss nestled between trees evokes this otherworldly sentiment. Such a sense of ageless wonder is indeed rooted in mosses’ primeval origins.
Small white mushrooms nestled in juniper, broom and electrified cat-tail mosses. Photo: Kali Brauckmann
Bryophytes, encompassing mosses, liverworts and hornworts, are believed to have been the initial plant species to transition from green algae, forging their path from ocean to land. With an
