The developing spore capsules of wall screw-moss, Tortula muralis, spotlit by the low winter sun.
The capsules are still in the early stages of development but when they're ripe they'll shed their spores through a remarkable mechanism that involves the uncurling of a set of teeth, twisted like a screw thread, arranged around the mouth of the capsule. You can see them here.
6 comments:
The lighting on the first shot is excellent. Thanks for linking back to your earlier post about this Moss, I hadn't seen it but have now, of course, learned something new - thank you Phil.
Nice backlit shot! I find photographing mosses to be very challenging - so little stays in focus at the macro scale!
I followed your link - fascinating! Nature never ceases to amaze me.
Those moss capsule setae resemble optic fibres in your second pic, Phil - is this another instance of nature having got there first?
The light was just right for a short while toffeeapple, just skimming over the top of the wall - lucky to be in the right place at the right time...
I know what you mean about photographing mosses Ellen - most of my pictures of them are disappointing, with too much confusing out-of-focus detail.
Interesting thought Rob.I think Faberge would have made moss capsules as jewellery if he'd been known about them, with all their lids and secret compartments...
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