Observing the greenest of plants @ mount royal's Journal

Marasmius oreades, otherwise known as the "fairy ring fungus" is the name given to mushrooms that grow in lush circles in various different species of grass (Couch, 1995). These fungi either grow above the surface on lawns/golf courses or below the surface, denoted by circles of dead-looking grass. These fungi break down organic matter below the surface and release ammonia, the microorganisms present in soil then 'fix' this ammonia into nitrates, and this nitrogen release is responsible for the green rings seen in the grass (Vargas, 1994).

Dryad’s Saddle (Cerioporus squamosus) is an annual fungus that is usually found at the base of the dead stumps or on living hardwood trees, such as oak and maple trees. This fungus plays an important role in decomposing dead trees, but it sometimes exists as a parasite to living trees. Dryad’s Saddle is known to give off a pleasant aroma, like the scent of watermelon rind. If cooked, this mushroom can be eaten; it tastes best when it is young and tender.

1.) Through OneZoom I researched the phylogenetic placement of the Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). The least specific placement was All Life which then narrowed down to --> kingdom: Plantae, Clade: Tracheophytes, Clade: Angiosperms, Clade: Eudicots, Clade: Rosids, Order: Vitales, Family: Vitaceae, Genus: Parthenocissus, and finally Species: quinquefolia.
2.) One unique adaptation of pine trees is that they have needles rather than leaves. These needles retain water better than leaves do and they transport this extra water to the roots of the tree. The needle shape also allows them to shed heavy snowfall without breaking off.
3..) A common characteristic in all of our observations was the green color of the plants. They appear green because they have chlorophyll that absorbs sunlight which allows these plants to photosynthesize.

Out of my 10 observations, I decided to research the phylogeny of the broadleaved goldenrod, a North American species of herbaceous perennial plants in the Asteraceae Family (same family as sunflowers). This plant is native to the eastern and central parts of Canada, and a singular plant can bear sometimes as many as 250 small yellow flower heads!

A common characteristic and adaptation seen by all species observed in my group project is the green colour of the plants. All of the observed species in my project are photoautotrophs, meaning they obtain energy from sunlight. Plants use chlorophyll and sunlight to generate energy and to carry out their metabolic processes in order to grow. Without chlorophyll, plants would not be able to undergo photosynthesis efficiently. This is why many plants have adapted to appear green.

One unique adaptation of maples trees is their broad leaves which is used to capture the maximum amount of sunlight. The more sunlight captured, the more energy can be absorbed by the plant, and the better off the plant will be. This adaptation in Maple trees help with their photosynthesis processes.

The observation I chose to research the phylogeny placement of is the silver maple, also known as the Northern sugar maple. I thought this would be an interesting choice because the maple leaf is quite a common species, so I was curious to see where this would place it on the phylogeny and although it is common, it was very far within the phylogeny. The silver maple is under the fabidae classification, which is under the vascular plants, under green plants. which is under overall plants, which finally, is under eukaryotes.
As for the special adaptation, I chose to research the Conifer. A special adaptation of these species are their pine cones. The conifer cones protect the seeds during the harsh winters. The cone acts as a protective shell for the seeds. I never knew the purpose of pine cones so this was very interesting to learn.
An adaptation that all the plants have in common, although obvious, but very important, are their green color. This is from the chlorophyll in the plants. The purpose of the chlorophyll is to absorb the sunlight which is a crucial step of photosynthesis.