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Common
Mosses and Liverworts of New England Woodlots
Roger Monthey (USDA Forest Service, Durham,
NH)
Marilyn Mollicone (University of Maine-Orono,
Orono,ME) |
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green collage of mosses and liverworts, collectively
known as bryophytes, are splashed as from an artist’s
brush throughout New England woodlots. Found growing
on rotting logs, tree trunks, stumps, rocks, and
soil, mosses and liverworts comprise a significant
part of the native biodiversity of our woodlots
(Cleavitt 1996). |
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Bryophytes are green
plants that lack a specialized vascular or conductive
system. Liverworts are of two different types:
thallose and leafy. Thallose liverworts resemble
green ribbons on the forest floor, while leafy
liverworts resemble mosses and thus are often
confused with them (Glime 1993). However, mosses
and leafy liverworts differ in anatomical features
that, if recognized, can permit their identification
(Schofield 1992). Some of the more obvious differences
are as follows. |
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Mosses have small leaves that are usually
in more than three rows around the stem; leafy
liverworts have three rows of small leaves,
two lateral in one plane and one ventral (on
the underside) (Schofield 1992). The two lateral
rows that lie in one plane give the leafy
liverworts a flat appearance (Glime 1993).
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Moss leaves are not dissected or lobed, a
condition which often occurs in leafy liverworts
(Glime 1993).
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Moss leaves commonly have a midrib (use a
10x hand lens); leafy liverworts never have
a midrib (Schofield 1992).
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Moss capsules (also called spore cases, sporangia,
or fruits) frequently have a top that pops
off (see Schofield 1992, p. 5); liverwort
capsules split into a four-pointed star (see
Vitt and others 1988, p. 141).
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mosses and liverworts perform a vital function
for forest ecosystems by retaining and slowly
releasing water to forest soils, which helps reduce
the harmful effects of droughts and erosion from
overland flow. They also help maintain humidity,
retain nutrients on the forest floor, and may
aid in filtering heavy metals. Some bryophytes
that are sensitive to sulfur dioxide are useful
in pollution monitoring (Glime 1993). |
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The fascinating miniature
world of mosses and liverworts can offer people
intrigue, refreshment, solace, and communion with
nature. Mosses growing on old structures such
as rotting wood, stone fences, and even tombstones
give us a strong sense of time, place, and grounding
to our lives. Mosses even reach mythological proportions
as Janice Glime refers to in the title of her
1993 field guide, The Elfin World of Mosses
and Liverworts of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
and Isle Royale. Those who have visited Cathedral
Woods on Maine’s Monhegan Island can attest
to this view. There, “gnome” houses
are constructed for the resident elves by children
and young-minded adults using small pieces of
wood, cones, lichens, mosses, and liverworts,
among other earthly items. |
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This article is intended
to acquaint you with some of the more common (and
more easily recognizable) mosses and liverworts
that you would expect to find in a typical New
England woodlot. These species are listed in alphabetical
order by scientific name; common names are provided
where available. This list is by no means exhaustive,
but instead is just a sampling. |
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The descriptions were
taken largely from field guides by Dale Vitt,
Janet Marsh, and Robin Bovey (1988), Janice Glime
(1993), and W.B. Schofield (1992), but also include
some of our observations. Common names are taken
from Glime. Vitt and others and Glime primarily
use photographs to display species, while Schofield
uses drawings. We have provided specific page
references to photographs and drawings in these
field guides, which are excellent resources for
those who want to explore the enchanting world
of mosses and lichens to a greater extent. |
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Bazzania trilobata
(three-lobed Bazzania)
Description—This liverwort has asymmetrical
leaves in two rows that drape down the side of
each stem. Each leaf has a broad tip with three
small teeth or lobes. As in other liverworts,
the seta (or stalk) of the capsule is soft and
collapses soon after the spores are shed from
the sporangium whereas in mosses, the seta is
usually rigid and persists for an extended period
(Schofield 1992).
Habitat—Logs and stumps.
Referred Images—Glime (p. 87). |
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Bazzania
trilobata |
Closeup
view of B. trilobata. |
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Dicranum flagellare
(whip fork moss)
Description—Sends up tiny flagella (narrow
shoots of closely appressed leaves) from the upper
leaf axils. This is the only species with flagella
in this area, making it easy to identify this
species when they are present. Similar to Dicranum
montanum when flagella are not present.
Habitat—Tree bases, logs, and forest boulders.
Referred Images—Glime (p. 74). |
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View
of Dicranum flagellare |
Closeup
view of D. flagellare showing the flagella
that break off (as seen in photo) and are dispersed
to reproduce the moss vegetatively. |
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Dicranum montanum
(mountain fork moss)
Description—Leaves look like corkscrews,
which serve as vegetative propagules that break
off and form new plants on suitable substrate.
Capsules are straight.
Habitat—Tree bases, logs, and forest boulders.
Referred Images—Glime (p. 75). |
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View
of Dicranum montanum |
Closeup
view of D. montanum showing cork screw
shape of leaves. |
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Dicranum scoparium
(broom moss)
Description—The common name comes from the
swept appearance of its leaves on the stem. They
form soft, round cushions with nonundulate, sickle-shaped
leaves that curve in one direction. Distinguished
from other Dicranum species by large teeth (visible
with a 10x hand lens at the end of the leaf) and
by ridges along the underside of the costa (nonvascular
nerve of leaf--sometimes double, sometimes single,
sometimes absent). Ranges in color from yellow-green
in sun to deep green in shade. Capsules are curved.
Habitat—On rotten logs, exposed cliff edges,
and sometimes on forest floor and tree trunks.
Referred images—Glime (p. 65); Schofield
(p. 125); Vitt and others (p. 124). |
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View
of Dicranum scoparium |
Closeup
view of D. scoparium showing the broom
swept appearance of the foliage. |
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Diphyscium foliosum
(grain of wheat moss, powder gun moss, or
nut moss)
Description—Female and male plants differ
in appearance. The female is easily identified;
its stalkless capsules resemble “seeds”
scattered on the ground. The male has long, strap-shaped
leaves.
Habitat—Forest floor, disturbed areas. Look
for this moss on disturbed soil along edges of
older forest roads.
Referred Images—Glime (p. 68). |
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View
of Diphyscium foliosum |
Closeup
view of D. foliosum showing the female
plant with its stalkless capsules that resemble
a grain or nut surrounded by long hairs (leaves). |
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Frullania sp
(liverworts)
Description—Dark reddish, purplish, or brown;
green when young. Leaves of Frullania are round
and have a smaller round, deeply concave lobe
on the underside of the leaves (or technically,
they have complicate bilobed leaves with the lower
lobe much smaller and hidden). Frullania grows
horizontally. Very fine, lacy growth pattern.
Habitat—Tree trunks.
Referred Images—Glime (p. 84); Vitt and others
(p. 152). |
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View
of Frullania sp. |
Closeup
view of Frullania sp. showing the growth
pattern on tree bark. |
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Hylocomium splendens
(mountain fern moss, mountain feather moss, or
stair step moss)
Description—Forms loose carpet of interwoven,
upward arching shoots. Resembles a small fern.
Leaves are flat in appearance, growing in same
plane. A new branch grows each year in the middle
of the top branch, arching upward in stair-step
fashion. Stems are reddish like Pleurozium schreberi,
which may cause confusion, but branches are flat.
Plants are brownish green and can be either dull
or glossy.
Habitat—Usually terrestrial or on decaying
logs in forests.
Referred Images—Glime (p. 98); Schofield
(p. 171); Vitt and others (p. 107). |
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View
of Hylocomium splendens showing stair-step
growth pattern. |
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Leucobryum glaucum
(cushion moss or powder puff moss)
Description—Tight, whitish-green cushions
or clumps. Appears whitish because some cells
of the costa do not have chlorophyll.
Habitat—Forest floor.
Referred Images—Glime (p. 70). |
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View
of Leucobryum glaucum showing clustered
growth pattern. |
Closeup
view of L. glaucum showing the whitish
leaves (leaves have several layers of colorless
cells which hide the color of the chlorophyll). |
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Neckera pennata
(feather flat moss)
Description—Leaves are rippled like a “lake
on a breezy day” (Glime 1993); or, in technical
terms, the leaves are strongly, transversely undulate.
Branches are flat in appearance with elliptical,
short-pointed leaves twisted to extend on only
two sides of the stem.
Habitat—Grows on trunks and branches of trees,
and on rocks. Leaves stand out from surfaces in
shelf-like appearance.
Referred Images—Glime (p. 80). |
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View
of Neckera pennata showing shelf-like growth
of moss away from tree trunk. |
View
of N. pennata showing wavy appearance of
leaves. |
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Pleurozium schreberi
(red-stemmed moss or big red stem)
Description—Forms extensive mats of yellow-green,
shiny, feathery branches with red stems. Broadly
ovate leaves with an apiculate tip (leaf ending
in an abrupt, short, sharp point) and short double
midrib. Similar to Hylocomium splendens—it
has a stem with branches, but, unlike Hylocomium,
has no secondary branches. Important ground cover.
Habitat—In sterile litter and on rock. Occasionally
ascends tree bases. Also found in bogs.
Referred images—Glime (p. 99); Schofield
(p. 219); Vitt and others (p.107). |
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View
of Pleurozium schreberi showing the feathery
growth pattern. |
Closeup
view of P. schreberi showing the reddish
stems. This moss is very common in boreal forests. |
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Polytrichum commune
(common haircap, great Goldilocks)
Description—Forms dense, tall turfs 50–500
mm tall. Leaves are divergent from the sheathing
bases when humid, becoming incurved when dry.
Toothed leaf margins, angled capsule, and shiny
sheathing bases of the leaves are also useful
field marks.
Habitat—Common on moist, organic soils, reaching
their greatest size in swamp margins.
Referred Images—Schofield (p. 235); Vitt
and others (p. 56). |
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View
of Polytrichum commune showing the upright
growth pattern. |
Closeup
view of P. commune showing the hairy caps
(or calyptra) of the capsules (except for capsule
furthest to the left which has lost its calyptra).
Capsules are angular in shape with a brownish
or whitish membrane on top. |
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Polytrichum juniperinum
(juniper hairy cap moss)
Description—Bluish green, the color of juniper.
Forms short to tall turfs 10–100 mm tall.
Leaves are strongly divergent when dry and have
reddish hair points (fine tapering of leaf tips
into hair-like projections).
Habitat—Found on open, dry sterile soil and
within forests. Also found on road banks and cliff
ledges.
Referred Images—Glime (p. 101); Schofield
(p. 237); Vitt and others (p. 57).
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View
of Polytrichum juniperinum |
View
of P. juniperinum showing the capsules. |
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Polytrichum piliferum
(awned hairy cap moss)
Description—Forms short turfs (10–20
mm tall) with wine-reddish stems. Tips of leaves
extend into long, white hair points, and leaf
blades are incurved. Sometimes the whole plant
is tinged with red. Male plants have splash cups
made of specialized leaves that resemble flowers
and contain antheridia (sperm containers). Rain
splashes the antheridia as far as 1 meter away.
Some of these antheridia will land on female plants,
swim to the archegonium (egg sac), and fertilize
the egg. If this happens, the stalk and capsule
will form on the female plant.
Habitat—Shallow soil over rock and open sandy
soil.
Referred Images—Glime (p. 103); Schofield
(p. 239); Vitt and others (p. 58). |
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View
of Polytrichum piliferum showing the splash
cups which are specialized leaves holding the
antheridia (sperm containers). |
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Rhytidiadelphus
triquetrus (shaggy moss)
Description—Name referring to the triangular
leaves and the occasional three-rowed arrangement
of the uppermost leaves of stem. Coarse, pale
yellow-green plants with untidy, divergent leaves
of the main stem tip and upper branches; strongly
pleated, partially wrinkled. Two strong midribs
on leaves. Orange-red stems.
Habitat—Well-drained sites in coniferous
forests; boulders, logs, and cliff shelves.
Referred images—Glime (p. 106); Schofield
(p. 261). |
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View
of Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus showing yellowish
color and shaggy appearance. |
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Tetraphis pellucida
(four tooth moss)
Description—Forms short, dark to pale green
turfs of erect, unbranched plants. The peristome
(the apical opening of the moss capsule through
which spores are shed) is ringed by four peristome
teeth. This moss seasonally has gemmae or asexual
reproductive structures (tiny bits of plant tissue)
that grow in a leafy “cup” on top of
the stems. The cups resemble a miniature bird’s
nest with eggs.
Habitat—Usually on well decomposed wood such
as logs and stumps, but also on sandstone and
soils high in organic matter.
Referred Images—Glime (p. 94); Schofield
(p. 285); Vitt and others (p. 61). |
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View
of Tetraphis pellucida which grows on well-decayed
stumps and logs. |
This
moss has 4-parted capsules, which is unique among
the mosses. |
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Thuidium delicatulum
(delicate fern moss)
Description—Appears like tiny ferns or white
cedar (genus Thuja) foliage. Tiny, yellowish leaves
have papillae (bumps) on the cell surfaces, giving
them a dull appearance. Stems are covered with
paraphyllia (tiny branched threads) among the
leaves. Thuidium has a branching pattern similar
to Hylocomium, but differs from it in that the
plants are not glossy and tend to be yellow green
rather than brownish green, and the stems are
not conspicuously red.
Habitat—Forest floor.
Referred Images—Glime (p. 74). |
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View
of Thuidium delicatulum showing fern-like
appearance of leaves. |
Closeup
view of T. delicatulum. |
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Ulota crispa
(curled leaf moss or curled bristle moss)
Description—Grows in dark green clumps on
tree trunks above tree bases. Similar to Ulota
coarctata but spore capsule is straight and pleated
when empty. U. coarctata has pear-shaped spore
capsules which are puckered to a narrow mouth
as if with a drawstring. Able to grow higher on
tree trunks because of its adaptation to increased
light and drier conditions. The term crispa refers
to its curled and twisted leaves when dry. The
leaves are straight when wet.
Habitat—Tree trunks.
Referred Images—Glime (p. 83). |
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View
of dry curled leaves of Ulota crispa. |
Closeup
view of U. crispa in moist condition. |
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Published by:
USDA Forest Service
State and Private Forestry
Northeastern Area
P.O. Box 640
Durham, NH 03824
Cover background photo: Bill Leak, USDA Forest
Service, Durham, NH
Cover inset photos: Ken Dudzik, USDA Forest Service
Bazzania trilobata. Photos by Ken Dudzik
Dicranum flagellare. Photos by Ken Dudzik
Dicranum montanum. Photos by Ken Dudzik
Dicranum scoparium. Photos by Ken Dudzik
Diphyscium foliosum. Photos by Ken Dudzik
Frullania sp. Photos by Ken Dudzik
Hylocomium splendens. Photo by Roger Monthey,
USDA Forest Service, Durham, NH
Leucobryum glaucum. Photos by Ken Dudzik
Neckera pennata. Photos by Ken Dudzik
Pleurozium schreberi. Photos by Ken Dudzik
Polytrichum commune. Photos by Ken Dudzik
Polytrichum juniperinum. Left photo by Roger Monthey
and right photo by Dick Homola, former
Emeritus Professor; University of
Maine, Orono
Polytrichum piliferum. Photo by Dick Homola
Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus. Photo by Roger Monthey
Tetraphis pellucida. Photos by Ken Dudzik
Thuidium delicatulum. Photos by Ken Dudzik
Ulota crispa. Photos by Ken Dudzik |
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Literature Cited:
Cleavitt Natalie L. 1996. Bryophyte survey of
six research natural areas within the White Mountain
National Forest, New Hampshire. Gen. Tech. Rep.
NE-225. Radnor [Newtown Square], PA: U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest
Experiment Station. 22p.
Glime, Janice. 1993. The elfin world of mosses
and liverworts of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
and Isle Royale. Isle Royale, MI: Isle Royale
Natural History Association. 148 p.
Schofield, W.B. 1992. Some common mosses of British
Columbia. Victoria, BC: Royal British Columbia
Museum. 394 p.
Vitt, Dale H.; Marsh, Janet E.; Bovey, Robin B.
1988. Mosses, lichens & ferns of northwest
North America: a photographic field guide. Edmonton,
AB: Lone Pine Publishing; Seattle, WA: University
of Washington Press. 296 p.
Formatted for the Internet 5/1/01 |
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