Did you know that there is a small evergreen plant 🌱 that has managed to thrive on Earth for millions of years? It's called 𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘢 (P.Beauv.) Spring, and its fascinating history dates back to the Late Carboniferous period🦖🦕, around 333-350 million years ago! This remarkable plant is not only a survivor but also one of the oldest lineages👴🏻 of land plants known to humankind. Tamariskoid Spikemoss has withstood the test of time, surviving several mass extinction events and emerging as one of the few plants that managed to prevail during the Permian-Triassic extinction, , which occurred around 252 million years ago, the most catastrophic extinction event in Earth's history😩. Let's delve into the intriguing story of Tamariskoid Spikemoss and explore its resilience🔋 throughout the ages.
At first glance, the most striking feature in the Tamariskoid Spikemoss is its enchanting leaves. Tamariskoid Spikemoss boasts an enchanting spiral pattern🌀 of light green leaves. These leaves feature vibrant green tips that may transition into creamy yellow or white hues as they mature. With its oblong-elliptic shape, this captivating plant's leaves measure approximately 3.2 mm in length and 1.5 mm in width. Despite its modest stature, rarely exceeding 15 cm in height, Tamariskoid Spikemoss forms clusters of stems and roots that create a tree-like structure.🌳 What truly sets Tamariskoid Spikemoss apart is its dioecious nature, producing separate male and female spores, known as microspores and megaspores respectively. Microspores boast an orange-yellow color, while megaspores exhibit a delicate light yellow shade. Once the microspores reach the megaspores, they undergo fertilization, resulting in the formation of a zygote, which is a fertilized egg 🥚 or a cell containing genetic material from both parent. The zygote then develops into an embryo🪺, and eventually, a new plant is formed🐣. It's worth noting that Tamariskoid Spikemoss also has the ability to reproduce vegetatively. This means that it can produce new plants through fragmentation or by forming new shoots from existing stems or roots. This additional method of reproduction enhances the plant's ability to colonize and spread in its habitat.
Tamariskoid Spikemoss has developed a remarkable mechanism for survival to withstand harsh conditions. Its secret🕵🏻 lies in the production of a special sugar🍬 called trehalose. Trehalose plays a crucial role in helping the plant's cells to remain protected and stable when they become dehydrated, or when there is a lack of water. When the plant faces dehydration, trehalose acts like a shield🛡️, safeguarding the cells from damage. It does this by maintaining the stability of the cell's internal structures. Think of it as a protective layer🧿 that prevents the cell's components from collapsing or falling apart. In addition to trehalose, other sugars like sucrose also contribute to this protective mechanism. They work by transforming into a state that resembles a thick, syrupy liquid to help stabilize the internal structures of the cell, preventing them from getting damaged or falling apart during dehydration. This unique state of the sugars, which is like a special type of glass called "bio-glass,"🫙 forms tiny empty spaces within the cells. These empty spaces act as cushions, preventing the cells from collapsing under the stress of dehydration.You can think of trehalose and other sugars as the plant's natural defense mechanism against drying out.
In addition to its internal mechanisms for self-protection in harsh, water-limited environments, the Tamariskoid Spikemoss also exhibits a prominent external feature to resist desiccation🔥. This feature lies in the shape of its leaves, which enables the plant to resist adverse conditions and demonstrate a remarkable ability to endure drought. The name "spikemoss" comes from its resemblance to moss with curled➰ branches and leaves. It can tolerate higher light intensities⚡️ and a substantial amount of sunlight🔆, but the soil must remain moist🥴. When the weather becomes dry, its branches curl up and contract into a compact form, ensuring that functional leaves are protected inside to retain moisture. When the internal water content drops below 5%, all cells enter a dormant state😴, with almost no metabolic activity, resembling a state of death.
Interestingly, this plant is also known as the "Traveler.✈️" In times of drought, it embraced the wind and danced with other forces of nature. It scattered its spores and plant parts far and wide, seeking more suitable living environments for survival, unlike many other plants that adapt to their surroundings😮. When encountering a water-rich area, the clumps expand back to their original state, turn green again, and resume growth as the roots penetrate the soil to seek moisture🌳. This phenomenon is called poikilohydry.
As a "resurrection🗿" plant, Tamariskoid Spikemoss is capable of withstanding extreme nutrient drought and regaining normal growth and metabolic activities after rehydration. During dehydration, the spirally🌀 arranged stems of it tightly curl to form a rough sphere, greatly reducing exposure to solar radiation at the plant's center. This movement is made possible by the tissues' hygroscopic capacities🧽, allowing them to absorb and release moisture💦 from the surrounding environment. As hydration levels change, dramatic curling and unfurling occur, reactivating cellular metabolism and resuming normal physiological activities within the structure. The plant is « alive 🎂» again!
Fascinated by the morphological variations of this plant traveler🥰? Welcome to the Biodiversity Museum in Hong Kong, where you can observe this unique and famous "resurrection plant."
Text: Gemini
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