As I wander through Fern Forest at lunchtime, I see loads of interesting things. After a rain, mushrooms appear as if by magic:
Later, those same exuberant growths lose somewhat of their vitality:
As many Floridians know, there’s an epiphytic fern that goes through this same wet/dry cycle many times throughout the year: Resurrection fern (Pleopeltis polypodioides var. michauxiana), which is fresh and leafy after a rain:
After a period of dry weather, though, the plant looks more like this:
Funny thing, though. Despite the fact that today is Hallowe’en, and despite what I just wrote about resurrection fern looking fresh and leafy after a rain, the picture above, with the dried-up shrively plant was taken AFTER A RAIN! The boardwalk was wet and slippery, but the resurrection fern apparently didn’t get the memo. Perhaps it’s a reverse way of celebrating Hallowe’en? That is, instead of coming back to life like the undead, it stayed dead instead of joining the party!
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