Calypogeia sphagnicola
Marchantiophyta
Calypogeia sphagnicola (Calypogeiaceae)
Bog Pouchwort
Tiny bog Calypogeia
Frequent
Distinguishing Features
Tiny translucent green (~1mm wide) threads of Calypogeia sphagnicola are a frequent but easily overlooked component of bogs and fens, where they grow in and amongst the Sphagnum. Upon inspection with a hand lens, you should see distantly arranged, somewhat elongate leaves that are frequently notched at their tip. Underleaves are divided to about half of their length and show somewhat narrow lobe tips.
Similar species
Quite a few small leafy liverworts make their home in Sphagnum, however species of Gymnocolea, Cephalozia and Cephaloziella all have leaves that are deeply two-lobed, whereas those of C. sphagnicola are very shallowly-lobed if at all. Both Mylia taylorii and M. anomala can grow between Sphagnum, but both species have large (>2mm) oval-shaped leaves that point upwards, whereas those of C. sphagnicola are small (<1mm), rounded-triangular and tend to point out at 90 degrees from the stem. In the genus Calypogeia, only C. integrispula and C. fissa are likely to occur in the same habitat, but both of those species are larger (shoots ~2mm wide) and have distinct underleaves (unlobed in C. integrispula, deeply lobed in C. fissa) that differ from the halfway-lobed form of C. sphagnicola.
Habitat
Sphagnum
Associated species
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