Plantwatch: how a miraculous moss keeps cool in the Mojave desert

Sheltering under translucent quartz stones shields the moss from heat, cold, drought and intense ultraviolet rays

A small moss growing in the Mojave desert in California uses a remarkable protection from the desert sun - it shelters under translucent quartz stones. It is a miniature greenhouse that shields the moss from heat, cold, drought and intense ultraviolet rays.

The desert gets extremely hot in the summer and cold in the winter, and the nights can also be really cold. Botanists found the brilliant green moss Syntrichia caninervis sheltering under the quartz stones, keeping the moss cooler during hot times and warmer during the cold spells. The stones also trapped moisture under them, keeping the plants moist. The sheltered mosses grew much faster and taller than the ones left out on exposed soil without protection.