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