A Tough Sand Dweller

The Woolly Hudsonia (Hudsonia tomentosa) carpets the dunes, preferring its place in full sun to more shaded spots. The tiny leaves are awl-shaped and press very tightly against the stem, as though trying to hold in as much water as possible. Hudsonia is covered with a velvet-like down, which is less susceptible to evaporation than a smooth, large surface would be.

An Adaptable Mushroom

Since mushrooms generally require plenty of water, you would not expect to find them at the beach. Several species, however, may be discovered here. The most readily identifiable is the Earth Star (Geaster hygrometricus), which resembles a Puff Ball but differs in having the outer layer of the skin divided into tough, star-shaped segments. During the dry seasons, this star is drawn up around the ball by its contraction, thus protecting it against further desiccation. In wet weather, the ball swells and holds the star against the ground to allow for water absorption. The “roots” of the Earth Star are shallow, so the plant may readily be dislodged. The wind easily blows it across the dunes, spreading the spores over a wide area.

NOW IT’S UP TO YOU

There is something new to be known about every animal and plant. Now it’s up to you! Careful observation will allow you to discover many other examples of special adaptation to life in the shifting dunes, and the next chapters will introduce you to some of the more common of the living things inhabiting this strange sand-world. And if you wish to read more about ecology, try these books:

Ernest Neal, Woodland Ecology. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1958. $1.75 John H. Storer, The Web of Life: A First Book of Ecology. New York: New American Library, 1956. $.35

Chapter 3
PLANTS ON THE DUNES

Plants add embellishment to the earth. For thousands of years people have valued them for their elegance and their usefulness. They may rate no more than a passing glance in fields and woods, but at the beach they stand out boldly, for here they seem almost out of place.

We have already become acquainted with some strange beach-dwelling plants; now let us examine more closely a few of the most common species.