Minnesota Plant Life. 



97 



never been touched by fire. Beside these large reindeer mosses, 

 which are the particular kind that bear that name, there are a 

 number of small relatives common along roadsides, on clay 

 banks and among mosses in the woods. One sort is called the 

 cigar-moss by children because of the flaming red ends of its 

 branches, while another might be mistaken for a cup fungus on 

 account of its vase-like form, but would be easily distinguished 

 by its grayish-green tint. 



FIG. 38. A tuft of "reindeer moss." Natural size, 2% feet in diameter. Age, probably over 

 one hundred years. North shore of I<ake Superior. After photograph by Professor 

 Bruce Fink. 



A curious thing about the much-branched body of the rein- 

 deer moss is this, that it all belongs to the fruit-body area of the 

 fungus. The real vegetative body is a flat, rather insignificant 

 tract below, and instead of developing simple discs or cups upon 

 the surface of this body, it is the habit of the reindeer moss to 

 form much-branched cups which, unless one observes carefully 

 their elaboration, would scarcely be recognized for their true 

 significance. 



Lichens are of much economic importance in the polar re- 

 gions where they are for animals and even for man, a staple arti- 



