Fuscocephaloziopsis monticola
Marchantiophyta
Fuscocephaloziopsis monticola (Cephaloziaceae)
XXXXXX
XXXXXX
Infrequent
Distinguishing Features
F. monticola is an infrequent species forming relatively dense albeit small turfs of stiff, compressed dark green shoots up to 3 mm wide along slopes in the high subalpine. Upclose, it has a succulent stem, leaves that are shallowly two-lobed or occasionally even three-lobed and underleaves can be present, though they are typically obscured by a dense set of hairs ("rhizoids"). Under the microscope, this species lacks oil bodies and can exhibit green, two-celled gemmae produced along young leaf tips at the shoot apex.
Similar species
On account of its large size and very compressed shoots, it is unlikely to be mistaken for any other member of Cephaloziaceae. In its habitat, however, it can coocur with species of Lophozia and Tritomaria that are superficially similair. Neither of these genera exhibit the dark green colour and deeply, symmetrically compressed shoots of F. monticola.
Habitat
XXXXXX
Associated species
XXXXXX