Alpine cushion plants warm tiny microclimates for nearby seedlings
Dense alpine cushions of moss campion and similar plants form low, tight mounds that trap heat, block wind, and hold moisture against bare rock and scree.
Other species often germinate in the cushion’s lee, using it as a nurse plant in a climate too harsh for lone seedlings. The host may later compete with its guests for space.
A cushion is a portable greenhouse without glass. On high mountains, plant architecture builds the weather that lets the next generation start.
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