Photomicrography

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Myosotis stricta (micrantha) “Strict Forget-me-not” Boraginaceae

Missoula, MT
April 23, 2015
Robert Niese

There are several species of Myosotis in our region – four of which have flowers that are less than 5mm in diameter! Of these small-flowered species, M. verna tends to have white flowers, M. laxa has sepal hairs that are not hooked at the tip, and M. discolor produces flowers that are yellow at first, but turn purple with age. M. discolor and M. stricta tend to be our most common tiny, weedy, roadside inhabitants here in the PNW. The flowers on this particular specimen were only 2mm across!

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Ectoedemia sericopeza “Norway Maple Seedminer” Nepticulidae

Missoula, MT
September 25, 2014
Robert Niese

These teensy-tiny moths are rarely over 2mm in length and are among some of the smallest lepidopterans in the world. Their larvae, which are equally infinitesimal, feed exclusively on (and within!) the tissues of the Norway Maple (Acer platanoides), an introduced species which lines most of our streets here in Missoula.

Happy National Moth Week!

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Aulacomnium androgynum “Little Grove Moss” Bryales

Missoula, MT
May 13, 2014
Robert Niese

This teensy-tiny moss species is readily identified by its adorable, round, lolly-pop structures known as gemmae. Each gemma is actually a mass of cells that will scatter on the wind or rain to produce a new moss (asexual reproduction). In total, this plant was barely more than 1cm tall! Look for A. adrogynum among pixie cup lichens (Cladonia) on rotting logs in moist-dry coniferous forests here in the Northwest. (ID courtesy of Mandy Slate)

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Ectoedemia sericopeza “Norway Maple Seedminer” Nepticulidae

Missoula, MT
September 25, 2014
Robert Niese

These teensy-tiny moths are rarely over 2mm in length and are among some of the smallest lepidopterans in the world. Their larvae, which are equally infinitesimal, feed exclusively on (and within!) the tissues of the Norway Maple (Acer platanoides), an introduced species which lines most of our streets here in Missoula.

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Caloplaca luteominia var. bolanderi "Ruby Firedot Lichen"

Missoula, MT
March 14, 2014
Robert Niese

Caloplaca luteominea is a relatively common endolithic species of crust-like lichen. The little red cups that you see here (<1mm in diameter) are actually the reproductive structures (called apothecia) of the fungus. The rest of the organism lives within the rock (endo = within; lithic = rock), between the cracks and grains of the granite.