Spanish Moss Tess Branning

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Spanish Moss Tess Branning
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M.P.I.P.

• Mr. Taylor's 7th gifted science class had to do a
  project in which each student chose an organism
  found at the pond and do a power-point on the
  organism after researching them.

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Taxonomy

• Kingdom ANGIOSPERM
• Phylum MAGNOLIOPHYTA
• Class MAGNOLIOPSIDA
• Order PIPERALES
• Family PIPERACEAE
• Genus PEPEROMIA
• Species WHEELERI
• Scientific Name Peperomia Wheeleri

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The Facts

• Spanish Moss isnt really a true moss. It is a
  Tillandisias, a type of bromeliad.
• Some bromeliads are rare and are protected by
  strict state laws. On the other hand, Spanish
  moss is not too rare in Florida and is a
  characteristic of this state.

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Bromeliads

• Most bromeliads are epiphytes and are not harmful
  to the tree they grow on. An exception to this is
  Spanish Moss. Spanish Moss may shade the tree
  branch until it dies. This, however, rarely
  happens to a healthy tree.

• Bromeliads attach themselves to the tree with
  special roots. Decaying leaves and bark provide
  nutrients for the plant growth.

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Is It A Parasite?

• Spanish Moss is not a parasite. It does not take
  nutrients or water from the tree it hangs and
  lives on. Therefore, it does not take away from
  any nutrients the tree needs to survive.

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Its an Autotroph

• Spanish moss is an epiphytic plant. It doesnt
  rely on nutrients from the plant that it grows
  on, they make their own food.
• The moss is covered in cup-like permeable scales
  that get the moisture and nutrients from the air.
  That is an example as to why Spanish Moss is
  sometimes called the Air Moss.

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Appearance

• Spanish Moss is light green when its wet and
  gray when its dry. It hangs from tree branches
  and can reach the length of twenty feet or even
  longer.
• The moss is covered in silvery-gray scales that
  capture water and other nutrients in the air.

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The Weight

• In some cases, the moss is known to grow so thick
  it may weaken or snap a tree branch because of
  its weight. Although the branches may break, moss
  isnt necessarily killing the tree.

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Habitat

• In partial shade, hanging off other plants is
  where youd probably find Spanish Moss.
• Spanish Moss mostly lives in moist areas but can
  survive in dry.

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Location

• Spanish Moss grows throughout the southeastern
  coastal plains from Virginia to Texas. It also
  grows in the west Indies and Central and South
  America as south as Argentina.

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Where It Grows

• Spanish Moss does not have any roots so it
  doesnt sit on the ground. It hangs from tree
  limbs as well as telephone wires and fences.
  Its normally found on cypress and live oak
  trees. Spanish moss is very dense in bogs and
  swamps.

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Spanish Moss Close Neighbors

• Spanish moss houses many little bugs (mites or
  triggers). These should not be brought into
  homes. To treat these thingies spray can rid
  them.
• No source indicates that Spanish Moss is a
  keystone species. The only thing that may be
  affected is the little red triggers that live on
  it.

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Depending Upon the Moss

• I have done a search to find out if any other
  organisms depend upon Spanish moss for a food
  source. Nowhere I could locate provided this
  information.

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Spanish Moss Uses

• Spanish Moss was originally used in Louisiana for
  mattresses and upholstering.
• Spanish moss is rarely used now in mattresses and
  other upholstering.
• Moss use in mattresses in Louisiana is confined
  usually to the rural and suburban areas.

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Close Up Moss
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More Moss Close Up
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• Sources
• www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/Spanish_moss/spanmoss.htm
  University of Florida
• http//fwie.fw.vt.edu/WWW/esis/lists/e704035.htm
  Virginia Tech
• http//www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/Spanish_moss/spanmoss.h
  tm University of Florida

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• More Sources
• http//osceola.ifas.ufl.edu/archives2000/spanmoss_
  ECF.htm University of Florida
• http//www.camdencounty.org/history/moss.jpg
• http//hort.ifas.ufl.edu/gt/bromeliads/bromeliads.
  htm University of Florida
• http//www.communityonline.com/local/culture/spani
  shmoss/spanishmoss3.htm Community Online
• http//home.att.net/SpanishMoss/mosspage.html
  ATT World Net

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Special Thanks To

• Mr. Taylor and his grand idea of this M.P.I.P.
• The whole 7th grade gifted class for taking the
  Mayport Pond photos and for being well behaved
  during this big project.
• My group, Patrick, Jake, and Courtney.
• Mr. Meeks for allowing our class to get on his
  computers during the 6th grade class.
• And an extra special thanks to Courtney Coyle for
  helping me out a lot.