| Reindeer mosses were originally named for their value as a food source for reindeer and caribou in the plant's northern range. Reindeer moss is really a lichen - a combination of a fungus and an alga, which share a symbiotic relationship and form a new plant. The algae have chlorophyll and are |
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capable of making their own food, while the fungus has spongy
threads to support the plant. It is a short, stubby ground cover
that grows in pillow-like mats in sandy soil. There are about
40 species in the southeast, which range in color from gray-green
to green-yellow to just gray. Because the common forms of reindeer moss are nitrogen fixers, they help form new soil, stabilize eroding sand, and create habitat for other plants and animals. The plant has the ability to absorb moisture and nutrients from the air through cells on its surface. However, this makes reindeer moss susceptible to pollutants in the environment. It is sometimes used as an indicator of environmental health. Native Americans relied on the moss as a survival food in hard times. It is low in protein, but high in carbohydrates and vitamins A and B. It was also used in powder form to thicken soups, stews and desserts. Reindeer moss is spongy and rubbery when moist, but becomes dry and brittle in times of little rain and will crunch if stepped on. It is slow to recover after a burn. The plant is wide-ranging and grows from Nova Scotia to Florida and west into Texas, Missouri and Illinois. |
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