Specimen #10 Moss

Specimen 10: Moss

Figure 1: Blackish plants with spiky leaves; change little when wet, but reveal hints of red and green.

Figure 2: Leaves curve outward, as imaged.

Figure 3: Leaves are lance-shaped with a midrib that can be difficult to identify seeing as most of the blade is filled with it; leaf edges are smooth; cells are rounded.

Figure 4: Plants are small; leaves are 1-2 mm long, as seen above.

Scientific Name: Andreaea rothii
Common Name: Needle-leaved Lantern Moss
Order: Andreaeles
Family: Andreaeaceae
Collection Date: September 17, 2015
Habitat: Acidic rocks, shaded or out in the open, dry or wet rocks, but often where water seeps over rock at least periodically
Location: Cleveland Metro Parks - Chagrin Falls, OH
Description: Small, blackish plants, crusty patches over rocks, crumble when dry, football shaped capsules, leaves change little when wet, but reveal subtle hints of red and green
Collector: Breanna Beltz

Key Used: McKnight, K.B, Rohrer, J.R., et al. 2013. Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians. Princeton University Press. Princeton, NJ.

Key Steps:

• Acrocarpous
• Leaf shape: Lance
• Midrib: Yes
• Key II, pp. 342-350
• Darker green or blackish brown leaves, leaves flat or folded but not tubular, with midrib usually visible at least at base of leaf --> 3
• On soil, rock, trees, logs in dry areas, or if wet area, then plants not submerged in water; not folded at base --> 4
• Leaf surface not rippled or wavy when wet --> 9
• Leaves < 4 mm long --> 21
• Leaves spreading in various directions when wet or barely diverging from stem --> 22
• Plants 0.2-2 cm tall --> 34
• Plants growing on rock, soil, rotting wood, tree base, or other substrate --> 39
• Shoots not surrounded by persistent protonema; leaves various --> 40
• Leaves not at all bluish and not cobwebby or moldy in appearance --> 41
• Leaves not or slightly contorted when dry, sometimes tips slightly twisted or leaf folded like keel --> 48
• Plant not whitish or pale green --> 49
• Growing on rock, green to dark green, brown, black --> 53
• Capsules opening by 4 lengthwise slits to resemble a Chinese lantern when dry --> 54
• Leaves narrowly lance-shaped, midrib present --> Andreaea rothii pp.121

Ecology:
This species belongs to the family referred to as the "granite mosses," and its genus is the single representative of this class found in North America, with the acceptation of Andreaeobryum. This species is one of two most commonly represented in North America, but is less widespread, more commonly found in eastern North America (Ohio University).

Links:

http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=ANRO7
https://www.ohio.edu/plantbio/vislab/moss/mckinney.htm
http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=548229
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200000843

Bryopsida Links:

http://tolweb.org/Bryopsida
http://www.dlia.org/class-bryopsida
http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=profile&symbol=Bryopsida&display=31
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/bryophyta.htm
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/plants/bryophyta/bryophyta.html

Specimen #9 Moss

Specimen 9: Moss

Figure 1: Leaves are green to yellowish-brown with wormlike branches; capsules are brown to black, and spherical.

Figure 2: Leaves are egg-shaped, sometimes with tips bent away from the branch up to 45 degrees.

Figure 3: Leaves lack teeth and a midrib; cells are triangular in this species.

Scientific Name: Sphagnum palustre
Common Name: Blunt-leaved Peat Moss
Order: Sphagnales
Family: Sphagnaceae
Collection Date: September 10, 2015
Habitat: Margins of streams, bogs, ponds; more typically shaded areas than in full sun
Location: Triangle Lake - Kent, OH
Description: Large, upright, 8-25 cm tall, green/yellow-brown, plump, wormlike branches, leaves have no midrib; capsules are uncommon, brown to black, spherical
Collector: Breanna Beltz

Key Used: McKnight, K.B, Rohrer, J.R., et al. 2013. Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians. Princeton University Press. Princeton, NJ.

Key Steps:

• Peat Moss
• Key XII, pp. 376-379
• Branches plump, wormlike, branched leaves with margins strongly incurved, forming blunt, hooded tips --> 2
• Plants green, yellowish --> 4
• Spreading branches with tapering ends, green to yellowish brown --> Sphagnum palustre pp. 325

Ecology:
This species was used for a European Union project at the University of Freiburg in Germany to track air pollution, with hopes of using biotechnology to then fight pollution (Euronews).

Links:

http://www.bbsfieldguide.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdfs/mosses/Sphagnum_palustre.pdf
http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=SPPA70
http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=15692
http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/03/biotechnology-to-fight-air-pollution/

Bryopsida Links:

http://tolweb.org/Bryopsida
http://www.dlia.org/class-bryopsida
http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=profile&symbol=Bryopsida&display=31
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/bryophyta.htm
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/plants/bryophyta/bryophyta.html

Specimen #8 Moss

Specimen 8: Moss

Figure 1: This species is 5-15 cm tall when upright; stalk of capsule is 5-9 cm tall.

Figure 2: Leaves are narrow and pointed; tightly pressed to stem when dry.

Figure 3: Capsules are four-sided, box-like, with a disk at the base.

Figure 4: Leaves are about 6-10 mm long.

Figure 5: Leaves are narrow, thick, and has teeth running from its base to the tip; midrib hard to recognize, as it fills most of the blade.

Scientific Name: Polytrichum commune
Common Name: Common Haircap Moss
Order: Polytrichales
Family: Polytrichaceae
Collection Date: September 10, 2015
Habitat: Moist soil, along margins of bogs, swamps, lakes, often shaded
Location: Triangle Lake - Kent, OH
Description: Four-sided capsule with disk, 6-10 mm long; large; plant 5-10 cm tall, upright, look like pine tree seedlings
Collector: Breanna Beltz


Key Used: McKnight, K.B, Rohrer, J.R., et al. 2013. Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians. Princeton University Press. Princeton, NJ.


Key Steps:

• Acrocarpous
• Leaf shape: Lance
• Midrib: Yes
• Key II, pp. 342-350
• Darker green, brownish black, midrib visible --> 3
• Not submerged in water, not folded @ base --> 4
• Not wavy when wet --> 9
• Leaves mostly > or = to 4 mm long --> 10
• Wet leaves stiff, thick, opaque - midrib visible @ base --> 14
• Leaf margin toothed except along leaf base, capsule with or without disk --> 17
• Capsule four-sided, like box --> 19
• Capsule with disk at attachment to stalk --> Polytrichum commune pp. 57

Ecology:
This species is used in New Zealand as a decorative material for cloaks, woven into the fabric. They provide extra warmth, as well. This moss is used to make teas to relieve and dissolve gall bladder and kidney stones, and to strengthen hair. The leaves have been used to make brooms, brushes, rugs, baskets, and more (Ohio University).

Links:

http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=POCO38
https://www.ohio.edu/plantbio/vislab/moss/giallombardo.htm
http://www.theplantencyclopedia.org/wiki/Polytrichum_commune
http://www.bbsfieldguide.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdfs/mosses/Polytrichum_commune_var._commune.pdf

Bryopsida Links:

http://tolweb.org/Bryopsida
http://www.dlia.org/class-bryopsida
http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=profile&symbol=Bryopsida&display=31
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/bryophyta.htm
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/plants/bryophyta/bryophyta.html

Specimen #6 Moss

Specimen 6: Moss

Figure 1: When dry, this species has a whitish green with a characteristic gray glossy appearance to them; leaves curl when dry.

Figure 2: When wet, leave are brighter green and lose gray glossy appearance; gently sweep to one side.

Figure 3: Leaves are hairlike and approximately 4-8 mm long; curved upward, appearing tube-like.

Figure 4: Leaf made entirely of the midrib, except at the base.

Figure 5: The tip of the leaf is very finely toothed, as imaged above.

Scientific Name: Paraleucobryum longifolium
Common Name: Silver Bloom Moss
Order: Dicranales
Family: Dicranaceae
Collection Date: September 17, 2015
Habitat: Rocks or boulders in moist forests
Location: Cleveland Metro Parks - Chargin Falls,  OH
Description: Tip finely toothed, when dry- whitish green/grey shade, when wet- more green, gently curls to one side on plant, midrib composed of alternating clear and green cells
Collector: Breanna Beltz

Key Used: McKnight, K.B, Rohrer, J.R., et al. 2013. Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians. Princeton University Press. Princeton, NJ.

Key Steps:

• Acrocarpous 
• Leaf shape: Hair-like
• Midrib: Yes
• Key I, pp. 341
• Plants > 1 cm tall --> 3
• Leaves swept to one side of stem --> 4
• Gray green/ white green - individual plants with leaves swept to one side, but not all plants swept to same side --> Paraleucobryum longifolium pp. 43

Ecology: Often found intermixed in cushions of Dicranium fuscescens (Flagmeier, 2013).

Links:

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200001018
http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=PALOS2
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:catalogueoflife.org:taxon:ed066356-29c1-102b-9a4a-00304854f820:col20120124#tab_classification
http://www.researchgate.net/publication/259369480_Paraleucobryum_longifolium_%28Hedw.%29_Loeske_in_Scotland

Bryopsida Links:

http://tolweb.org/Bryopsida
http://www.dlia.org/class-bryopsida
http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=profile&symbol=Bryopsida&display=31
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/bryophyta.htm
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/plants/bryophyta/bryophyta.html

Specimen #5 Moss

Specimen 5: Moss

Figure 1: The hairlike leaves spread from stem when wet.

Figure 2: Yellow-green, shiny leaves that curl toward stem when dry.

Figure 3: Midrib is difficult to locate except at base, seeing as it fills most of the blade; edges are smooth.

Figure 4: The microscopic strongly toothed leaf tips are a key feature of this species.

Scientific Name: Ditrichum pallidum
Common Name: Saffron Moss
Order: Dicranales
Family: Ditrichaceae
Collection Date: September 17, 2015
Habitat: Disturbed soil, partly shady woodlands
Location: Cleveland Metro Parks - Chagrin Falls,  OH
Description: Strongly toothed leaf tips, midrib fills most of blade, and is hard to distinguish except at the base of the leaf, edges are smooth, sporophytes are tall with yellow seta
Collector: Breanna Beltz

Key Used: McKnight, K.B, Rohrer, J.R., et al. 2013. Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians. Princeton University Press. Princeton, NJ.

Key Steps:

• Acrocarpous 
• Leaf shape: Hair-like
• Midrib: Yes
• Key I, pp. 341
• >1 cm tall --> 2
• Leaves 3-5 mm --> Ditrichum pallidum pp. 35

Ecology:
Commonly found across Ohio on the ground of dry wooded areas (Ohio Moss & Lichen Association). This species is considered endangered in Bulgaria (http://www.e-ecodb.bas.bg/rdb/en/vol1/Ditpalli.html).

Figure 4: Distribution of this species throughout Ohio

Links:

http://ohiomosslichen.org/moss-ditrichum-pallidum/
https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ditrichum_pallidum
http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=16861
http://www.plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=DIPA22
http://www.e-ecodb.bas.bg/rdb/en/vol1/Ditpalli.html

Bryopsida Links:

http://tolweb.org/Bryopsida
http://www.dlia.org/class-bryopsida
http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=profile&symbol=Bryopsida&display=31
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/bryophyta.htm
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/plants/bryophyta/bryophyta.html

Specimen #7 Moss

Specimen 7: Moss

Figure 1: Plagiothecium cavifolium has two forms - one with cylindrical, overlapping cup-shaped leaves, and the other, the less common, has flattened shoots with well-spaced and wide-spread leaves (McKnight & Rohrer, 2013).

Figure 2: Leaves are symmetrically ovate, wide-spread, and well-spaced.

Figure 3: Leaves lack midrib, have smooth edges, and come to very sharp point.

Scientific Name: Plagiothecium cavifolium 
Common Name: Round Silk Moss
Order: Hypnales
Family: Plagiotheciaceae
Collection Date: September 17, 2015
Habitat: Soil, often overlying rock, moist, shady places, rotting tree bases
Location: Cleveland Metro Parks - Chagrin Falls, OH
Description: Species has two forms; this form is less common; has flattened shoots bearing well-spaced, wide-spread leaves, bright olive green, shiny, leaves that are symmetrical and smooth edges
Collector: Breanna Beltz

Key Used: McKnight, K.B, Rohrer, J.R., et al. 2013. Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians. Princeton University Press. Princeton, NJ.

Key Steps:

• Pleurocarp  
• Leaf shape: Ovate
• Midrib: No
• Key IX, pp. 369
• Flattened branches --> 2
• Leaves wide 60°-90°, stem visible --> 5
• Lacking tiny branches at base --> 7 
• Quite flattened --> 9
• Leaves symmetrical --> 10
• Spaced, not overlapping, leaf tips short-pointed --> Plagiothecium cavifolium pp. 295

Ecology:
This species of moss can be found on soil, rocks, near stream banks and other damp places, or in shady areas (Ohio Moss & Lichen Association).

Figure 4: Distribution of species throughout Ohio

Links:

http://ohiomosslichen.org/moss-plagiothecium-cavifolium/
http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=PLCA15&format=print
http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=16293
http://plants.usda.gov/java/largeImage?imageID=plca15_001_ahp.jpg

Bryopsida Links:

http://tolweb.org/Bryopsida
http://www.dlia.org/class-bryopsida
http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=profile&symbol=Bryopsida&display=31
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/bryophyta.htm
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/plants/bryophyta/bryophyta.html