Hello! I got really interested in bryophytes, especially liverworts, and I am now looking for a good hand lens for observing them outside. I am probably going to buy a Levenhuk (brand) lens, but since there are so many options, it’s hard to choose one. Also, in one of his books R.M.Schuster recommends a doublet or triplet hand lens with 10-15x magnification and a field of more than 10mm wide for field work… So it made me wonder, would a lens with magnification greater than 15x (I found ones that are 30x and 40x) work better for that purpose, or should I stick with a 10x lens? Maybe the 30-40x magnification is too much? I am very inexperienced, so I would be very grateful if someone answered.
Hi, Lichen Candelaris x14 hand lens are the best for bryophytes. That’s also the most expensive hand lens tho.
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My family (my dad and sister wrote this field guide to mosses) generally uses the Iwamoto Achromatic 20x. Most lenses with greater than 10x magnification are frustrating because they have a tiny diameter, but this one is able to be broad, magnified, and not have lots of artifacts. They’re also rather expensive (usually $100+), but it’s worth it.
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Hooray for liverworts! You might enjoy the video I made about them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcnYfFtzmm8&t=94s
To see bryophytes at some magnification I use the Moment macro lens on my iPhone. However, my husband got me a hand lens that has its own blue led light so I’m looking forward to using it on lichens and other things that might glow.
https://www.amazon.com/Gain-Express-Jewelers-Magnifier-Antiques/dp/B00MMYNX38/ref=asc_df_B00MMYNX38/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241888613422&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14680368766835390466&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010658&hvtargid=pla-456869853091&psc=1
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Wow, tell them I said. “Thanks.” I used iNat and their field guide to help me ID the mosses in this video. I mention their book at 5:17 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mmjNybWacc
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Thank you for suggestions everyone!
@botanicaltreasures watched your video about liverworts, love the music choice and the photos you took!
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A more old-fashioned name for liverworts I like is ‘Hepaticae’. So, a scientist studying liverworts is called a hepaticologist, and the science itself hepaticology. It sounds a bit similar to hepatology, which is the branch of medicine studying the liver (organ) and its diseases.
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Thanks so much! Yes, they do sound very similar. That would be a neat thing to be able to say. “I’m a hepaticologist.”
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Citation A more old-fashioned name for liverworts I like is ‘Hepaticae’
That’s how we actualy name it in French ^_^
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