Bazzania tricrenata
Marchantiophyta
Bazzania tricrenata (Lepidoziaceae)
Lesser Whipplewort
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Infrequent
Distinguishing Features
Loping over peaty grounds, decaying organic matter, tree trunks and bedrock, B. tricrenata is a predominantly yellow-brown species with shoots up to 4 cm long found in a startling range of habitats. The lateral leaves have 3 small, tooth-like notches at their tip, whilst the underleaves have 3-5 short, knobby lobes at their tip. Inspection of the underside of the plant should reveal numerous pale-white or brown branchlets (up to 3 cm long!) emerging from the stem.
Similar species
Only Bazzania trilobata has similair long pale branchlets emerging from its underside, but it is a bright green species with wide leafy shoots (3-6 mm), whereas B. tricrenata is yellow-to-brown and its shoots are <3 mm wide. The rare and similairly-coloured B. griffithiana could occur in the same wet and peaty habitats, but it lacks does not bear the long pale branchlets seen on the underside of B. tricrenata.
Habitat
Moist to mesic rock outcrops, cliffs, ledges, crevices, boulders, humus, decayed wood, tree trunks, branches, and bogs in the lowland, montane, and subalpine zones
Associated species
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