Welcome to Word of the Week! Stay tuned for a new word each Wednesday to amp up your nature vocabulary!
Epilithic [ep-uh-lith-ik] (adjective):
Epilithic describes a plant growing on the surface of a rock! Many mosses and ferns are epilithic. They are able to gather their required nutrients from rain water or small amounts of organic matter that accumulate on the rock surface. Plants that grow specifically in the cracks of rocks are called "Chasmophytes". The word epilithic comes from a joining of "epi" meaning ‘upon’ and the Greek word "lithos" meaning ‘stone’. Have you seen any epilithic plants?
Sammy Tangir - Sammy is a serious nature nerd and especially enthusiastic about plants! When she is not thinking of next week's nature word, she is working as an outdoor educator and practicing her wood carving skills.
