Bazzania ambigua
Marchantiophyta
Bazzania ambigua (Lepidoziaceae)
None
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Obscure
Distinguishing Features
A cryptic species of decaying wood and organic matter, Bazzania ambigua typically presents as green-to-brown horizontal shoots (~2 mm wide) that fork evenly. The arched lateral leaves have two very shallow tooth-like lobes (<1/10th leaf length) at their tips, while the underleaves are about as wide as long and bear 3-4 shallow lobes with rounded tips. The lateral leaves of fresh material should be looked at under the microscope; there should be 2-4 oil bodies in the cells if the identification is correct.
Similar species
See notes under Bazzania denudata, a lookalike that dominates in the same habitat. That species has 3-lobed lateral leaves, underleaves wider than long and oil bodies 8-12 in the leaf cells. B. ambigua typically has 2-lobed lateral leaves, underleaves about as wide as long and oil bodies 2-4 in the leaf cells.
Habitat
Moist to mesic humus, rock outcrops, cliffs, boulders, tree trunks, branches, and decayed wood in the lowland and montane zones
Associated species
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