MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

I have just made up a couple of glycerin mount slides, and have just trimmed off the excess jelly. There is a little grease left on the slide, should I use anything to wipe it away, such as rubbing alcohol?
Also, I have been leaving the previous glycerin mounts I have made for a couple of days before ringing them, how long do you folks leave yours?
Many thanks from Bill.

Bufo Bill wrote:I have just made up a couple of glycerin mount slides, and have just trimmed off the excess jelly. There is a little grease left on the slide, should I use anything to wipe it away, such as rubbing alcohol?
Also, I have been leaving the previous glycerin mounts I have made for a couple of days before ringing them, how long do you folks leave yours?
Many thanks from Bill.

Hi Bill, they should be ready to seal after about 2 hours, nail polish is great for this. I clean my slides once fully dried (I don't need to seal my resinous-mounts) with soapy water (warm) before butting them into boxes or whatever. For your quick-clean of a recently finished slide I'd probably as you suggest use OH, just put a tiny bit on, wipe & lift, wipe and lift etc - better not to engage in any sort of rubbing, just one pass with a piece of soft cloth or tissue - it'll come perfectly clean after about 6 passes and this technique is very gentle.

Sounds like you're off to a busy start - what's in the gel?

Cheers John, a fount of knowledge as usual.
I've got a dinky little Polytrichum species, an interesting Mnium like moss from a rock face, and I'm currently rehydrating a peculiar species from a tree trunk, it has long tassel like unbranched stems that creep down the trunk!
All the best from Bill.

Bufo Bill wrote:Cheers John, a fount of knowledge as usual.
I've got a dinky little Polytrichum species, an interesting Mnium like moss from a rock face, and I'm currently rehydrating a peculiar species from a tree trunk, it has long tassel like unbranched stems that creep down the trunk!
All the best from Bill.

They sound interesting, any chance of a few pictures of them?

I can post in situ shots tomorrow John, but I am not yet set up for microscopy images.
All the best from Bill.

Bufo Bill wrote:I can post in situ shots tomorrow John, but I am not yet set up for microscopy images.
All the best from Bill.

A few of the actual plants would be great - I'd love to see them, not through the 'scope, just as collected.
Thanks Bill.

Hi John, here's two of the pictures, the other one I will have to do some work on first.
All the best from Bill.

These are fascinating Bill, any leads on an ID? Difficult without the sporophyte I know.
I see what looks like a 'nerve' in the top one's leaves?

Very interesting!

Hi John, yes there is a "nerve" in the "leaf" of the top specimen, but under low magnification on the binocular 'scope, it can be seen that the central nerve doesn't reach the tip of the leaflet. I'm going to get a good look at this tonight, and see if I can get an ID.
There's a good chance that the Polytrichum species will require a second visit to see the sporophyte later in the year, but access is easy to this particular specimen, thank goodness!
Will let you know how I get on . . . this is all very exciting!
All the best from Bill.

Okay, we have Mnium hornum in the top picture (leaf from near top of stem hasn't got a nerve that goes to the tip of the leaflet, and the lower leaves are narrow and triangular).

In the lower picture we have (I am 8/10 sure ) Polytrichum commune, due to the spiny edges of the leaves with an even taper to the narrow leaf. I think this was just a young specimen.

Ha ha! Two of the most common woodland mosses in the area, but man, this is addictive stuff!

I'll give number three another 24 hours to rehydrate, then we'll have a look at that one.

All the best from Bill.

I like this practice of showing where the samples come from... Very good!..

BillT

Thanks Bill, each photo has a set of GPS coordinates embedded in the picture details too. Glad you approve.
All the best from Bill.

Aha - Bufo' - I've had a great interest and fascination for moss from before my microscope days, my botanical adventures having started as an extension of my absolute passion for the taxonomy/systematics of British wildflowers...

I collected and dried a specimen of what's bound to be a commoner, from my garden last year. I've the intention to learn how to process and mount, either whole or sectioned, plants formerly dried and collected as herbarium specimens (I made my own herbarium-press and have a small collection of dried and mounted plants produced by this) - look what I have on my shelf in the lab - my first ever dried-moss! It's amazingly, pristine to this day, a year-on!

Here's a peek - more details of my herbarium later hopefully... Still in full colour!

Here's my home-made Herbarium-press... collected last year, still in the press until I mount them on sheets.. and and from my Sonchus study of last year, these are 'mounted' - stuck down with white glue....
This set is part of my study of the morphological differences between Sonchus.oleraceus and Sonchus.asper - I've a large collection of slides made from this study also, to complement theses whole-specimen presses - fascinating and delightful to peruse on a rainy day! You've got me all over-excited now Bill - Hussar!

p.s. I can't wait to collect some gametophytes and their sporophytes and section then mount them as a slide-set, together with some leaf and stem etc mounts, what a great set each would make for examples for moss ID and taxonomy! I'm waiting for fixative at the moment, I've run out!

Back soon!

John, I have a very interesting little PDF ibooklet on staining mosses with multiple stains, I can email you a copy if you like, it's inspiring stuff with lots of great photos.
Glad you are finding inspiration from my crazy obsession, i hope the help you have given me has been paid back, even in a small way.
All the best from Bill.

Bufo Bill wrote:John, I have a very interesting little PDF ibooklet on staining mosses with multiple stains, I can email you a copy if you like, it's inspiring stuff with lots of great photos.
Glad you are finding inspiration from my crazy obsession, i hope the help you have given me has been paid back, even in a small way.
All the best from Bill.

That would be great Bill, I'll pm you my e-mail.
It's great to have another moss-man about!

Your adventures are a great inspiration and your expertise is a great help to me in this area.

I like my moss too, in a farily laid back way.
I also like all things staining...
Any chance of getting that pdf?

Hi there, if you want to pm me your email, I'll send it through.
All the best from Bill.

billben74 wrote:I like my moss too, in a farily laid back way.
I also like all things staining...
Any chance of getting that pdf?

Hi Bill & Bill - here's the link online if others may like it - it's very good, thanks for this Bufo'.
http://www.bryoecol.mtu.edu/2013/2-2Lab ... Stains.pdf

Cheers John! That's far more help to these good people!
All the best from Bill.

Thanks to you both

Hi John,
Thanks for the link to this important paper...

BillT