Is there any vegetation in Antarctica?

It is not a surprise that the climatic condition of Antarctica does not allow much vegetation. Antarctica has sunlight in less than four months all year round (November to March).

Although there are no trees or shrubs, algae, fungi, mosses, and lichens have been found in Antarctica. The vegetation has adaptive features that help them survive the harsh weather condition in Antarctica.

Most of these plants have small leaves and shall root to minimize the amount of water lost through the leaf surface. They also grow close to each other so they can withstand the weather during winter.

Most of the species found in Antarctica are perennial. They grow and bloom in summer, and they die during winter. This helps the plant to save energy that would have been used for seed production.

Of course, there is quite a variety of vegetation in the Antarctica continent. Considering the climatic conditions of this very ecosystem, it seems as if no plant can survive there. Poor soil, extremely small sunlight, very moist temperate, and still some plants are still able to survive these conditions.

Although you might not find any big or tall tree as such in Antarctica, relatively smaller plants and vegetation still grow well in this area. One of the plants that survive this strange location is the Antarctica hair grass, which is scientifically referred to as Deschamsia Antarctica.

This plant grows basically in the Antarctica Peninsula, where there is a concentrated number of penguins. Another plant that survives this world is Antarctic pearlwort, which is scientifically referred to as Colobanthus quitensis.

These earlier mentioned plants are flowering vegetation, while several non-flowering plants also exist there. There species of liverworts, mosses, lichens, and macro-fungi.

It won't surprise you that in a region where snow and ice cover the land, there are no trees or bushes or productive plants. However, there is lichen. This has been found in the most remote areas 295 miles from the South Pole. There are also mosses, and algae.

There are lush beds of such vegetation in some parts of the Antarctic Peninsula. More than 66 million years ago, Antarctica drifted towards the South Pole. Most plants continued to grow during the continental movement but when the climate became too cold, dry, and unsuitable growth was no longer possible. However, fossil remains in the Western Antarctic Peninsula tell how the land was once green and lush.