Spanish moss
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| Tillandsia usneoides (L.) L. |
Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) closely resembles its namesake (Usnea, or beard lichen). However, Spanish moss is not biologically related to mosses. Instead, it is a flowering plant in the family Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) that grows hanging from tree branches in full sun or partial shade. It ranges from the southeastern United States (Southern VA) to Argentina, growing wherever the climate is warm enough and has a relatively high average humidity.
The plant consists of a slender stem bearing alternate thin, curved or curly, heavily scaled leaves 2-6 cm long and 1 mm broad, that grow vegetatively in chain-like fashion (pendant) to form hanging structures 1-2 m in length, occasionally more. The plant lacks roots and its flowers are tiny and rarely produced. It propagates mostly by fragments that blow on the wind and stick to tree limbs, or are carried by birds as nesting material.
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[edit] Overview
In the southern U.S., the plant seems to show a distinct preference of growth on southern live oak and bald cypress, but it can colonize in other tree species such as sweetgum, crape-myrtle, other oaks, or even pine.
[edit] Sun-blocking epiphyte
Spanish moss is an epiphyte (a plant that lives upon other plants; from Latin "epi"=upon "phyte"=plant), which absorbs nutrients (especially calcium) and water from the air and rainfall. Spanish moss is colloquially known as "air plant". It is not a biological parasite in the same sense as another epiphyte, mistletoe (it does not burrow into the tree and suck out nutrients)- however this is using a technical meaning of "parasite" of the biological community. By using a tree's structure it blocks out sunlight that would other wise fall on the host tree's own leaves. The amount of sunlight it blocks is proportional to the amount it reduces tree growth depending on the tree type. On some trees only smaller or lower branches will die but the tree will grow at a slower rate.
It can grow so thickly on tree limbs that it gives a somewhat "gothic" appearance to the landscape, and while it rarely kills the trees it lowers their growth rate by reducing the the amount of light to a trees own leaves. It also increases wind resistance, which can prove fatal to a tree in hurricanes. While most biologists are quick to point that its a epiphyte not a parasite, they forget that this is technical biological meaning, and that by using its host's sunlight it is indeed still parasitic in nature. When a epiphyte inhabits a plant, it would be a parasite according to actual English language dictionaries. The nuance is that a epiphyte can also reside on non-living structures, in which case it would no longer be parasitic. In other words, epiphytes can be parasitic, when on a living thing. The parasitic nature would be more obvious if it hung off peoples noses for its "structural support", simply taking the passing air, moisture, and sunlight near the person mouth. While the person would likely survive, the person would find it harder to breath and produce less vitamin D. Few humans would let such a "epiphyte" inhabit them though the infected trees have no choice.
In botany, parasitic plants have a fairly narrow definition which does not apply to Spanish Moss, though some other fields take a broader approach to what organisms are parasitic. Spanish Moss may not be engaged directly in Kleptoparasitism, which involves the parasite stealing food that the host has caught or otherwise prepared, but it does restrict the sunlight to host trees.
[edit] Culture
Due to its propensity for growing in humid southern locales like Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, the plant is often associated with Southern Gothic imagery.
[edit] Human Uses
Spanish moss is sometimes bought for use in arts and crafts, or for beddings for flower gardens. The plant in its natural habitat frequently contains hundreds of chiggers in each bunch, and so should be handled with care.
Spanish moss is also known to have been worn by the women of the Timucua Indian tribe.
At one time, some 5,000 tons of Spanish moss were harvested and used in the U.S. alone. The plant is susceptible to air pollution.
Former synonyms for this species were Dendropogon usneoides (L.) Raf. and Renealmia usneoides L. In Hawaii, Spanish moss is so frequently found that it has gradually adopted the nickname Pele’s hair after Pele the Hawaiian goddess.
[edit] Ethnomedical Uses
Tillandsia usneoides as an entire plant has been used to treat type II diabetes (mellitus), heart disease, edema, and hemorrhoids.
[edit] Folklore
Charleston, South Carolina, has told the story of a Cuban who came to the area with his Spanish fiancée in the 1700s to start a plantation near the city. Among other features mentioned for the bride-to-be was her beautiful, flowing raven hair. As the couple was walking through the forest to reach the location of their future plantation, they were attacked and killed by an army of the Cherokee tribe, who were not happy to have these strangers on their land. As a final warning to stay away from the Cherokee nation, they cut off the long, dark hair of the bride-to-be and threw it up into an oak tree. As they came back day after day, week after week, they noticed that the hair had shriveled and turned grey and had also spread throughout the tree. Wherever the Cherokees went, the moss followed them and would eventually chase them out of their homeland of South Carolina. To this day, if one will stand under a live oak tree, one will hear the moaning of the woman and will see the moss jump from tree to tree. It defends itself with a large army of beetles.
Legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot penned a ballad entitled Spanish Moss. [1]
[edit] References
- Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The Plant Book. A portable dictionary of the higher plants. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 706 p. ISBN 0-521-34060-8.
- ITIS 42371 2002-08-25
- A brief history of the Timucua people of Northern Florida [2]
 Spanish moss growing on an oak tree |
 Spanish moss in Costa Rica |
 Close-up of Spanish moss |
 Southern live oak with Spanish moss hanging from it |
 Spanish moss in Louisiana |
