Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-09-13
NO MIRACLE IN MAMMA,
An Edible Lichen That is StiIl Found In
Parts of Asia and Africa.

An L1Cnen Inau Is SJlIt
Parts of Asia and Africa.
"It is mannav' exclaimed the peo-
pie of Israel as they gathered the food
which seemed so miraculously to ap-
pear at their very feet in answer to
their cry for sustenance, but though
they ate and were satisfied, yet, we are
told, they twist not what it was"
And during the ages that have
passed since its first appearance on
that memorable dewy morning in the
wilderness of sin, men have declared
again and again that they twist not
what it was" that thus fed the Israel
ties in their need, though numberless
conjectures have been made and dis
cussions held on the matter.
The chief opinion which had sway
for long time was that mama was
the sap OF the tamarisk, but now au
thorities, seeing in the light of widen
ing scientific knowledge, declare that
mama was without doubt a certain
lichen Uecanora esculenta).
This is borne out by the fact that
well-authenticated rains Of mama,
absolutely believed by the inhabitant-
ants to be showers from heaven, have
been reported at least six times during
the past century by reliable travellers
in the East, and the descriptions of the
deposit given in precise present-day
language leave no doubt upon the
point.
If piece Of mama be examined
under the microscope its peculiar COM
pound structure can be clearly seen;
there is a delicate network of interlac-
ing fungal threads glistening in the
light, while inclosed in their meshes
are a number of round, bright green
cells, each a tiny algal plant. Thus
fungus and alga live together in most
intimate connection.
1t may be asked how fresh mamma
lichens arise, seeing that it is difficult
to imagine frequent coincident meet
ing of q particular fungus and a par
ticular green plant. But, granted the
meeting has once taken place, the
rapid reproduction is easy to under
stand.
At certain times in the year n yel-
lowish dust appears in little green
cups growing on the surface of the
plant, and each of the grains of dust
is a minute bundle containing q few
of the green cells wrapped up together.
so that wherever this dust may fall
each grain can become q new mamma
lichen.
There is, moreover, second method
Of reproduction in which the fungus
alone takes part and sends out tiny
offspring to take their chance in the
wide world of finding n suitable host
as their parent has done, but the de-
tails are complicated and at present
involved in some obscurity.
Thus, then, Lecanora esculenta-
mammals in its very nature one of
the most remarkable phenomena in the
vegetable world. 1t is found over
great tracts of southeast Asia, near
Constantinople, in the Crimea, the
deserts of Arabia, in the Sahara and
the deserts Of Algeria.
1t is easy to pass it by unnoticed,
for 1t Is grayish yellow in color and
grows on gray limestone rocks and
fragments Of rock in the form of
wrinkled crust, which seems to n cas-
ual observer part Of the very rock
itself, and needs care to distinguish it.
Cut through, it is white like corn
within, dry and powdery; it is, more
over, extremely light in weight. 1t is
obvious that there is not much nour-
ishment to be obtained from the bare
face Of the limestone rock-hence all
the Sustenance of the two plants must
be obtained from the atmosphere and
the rain by the little green plant,
which must thus work doubly hard to
be able to pass on sufficient food for
Its partners living, in addition TO pro-
viding it's own.
BY degrees, as it grows older, 1t be-
comes loosened, or even detached from
the rocks, and then, when the sudden
whirlwinds and violent storms which
affect many of these regions blow, the
featherweight pieces of lichen crust
are torn up and blown into the air at
the mercy Of the wind, and carried, 1t
may be for immense distances.
The rains, too, that descend with
such sudden vehemence, sweep it
away into water channels, where it is
borne along on the stream and deposit
| ed in hollows, and left there in heaps
when the water subsidies.
At times, too, a waterspout will
gather it up, carry it along and ulti-
mately deposit 1t in a place where
---therto 1t had been practically un-
known.-Sunday Magazine.