Blasia pusilla
| Common Name | Kettlewort |
| Frequency | Locally frequent |
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Distinguishing Features
A simple thalloid liverwort with a birght green palour and thallus segments to 1cm wide and more than 1cm long, Blasia pusilla thrives in water-saturated environments where it is often found growing over fine sediments and decaying organic matter. The common name belies its diagnostic feature: bottle or kettle-shaped asexual structures that are reliably present in most plants, as are naked clusters of yellow gemmae on the upper surface. On the occasion that these are absent, the combination of a round-lobed margin, black-dotted thallus and simple linear scales on the upper surface are also unque to this species amongst regional thalloid taxa.
Similar species
When asexual structures are present, this species in unmistakeable. Absent the bottles and gemmae, it might be mistaken for species of Aneura, Pellia, Moerckia or Calycularia, none of which have the dark dots of Nostoc clusters in their thallus. Aneura and Pellia have smooth upper surfaces, but in Blasia, the upper surface is marked by the presence of narrow, linear scales. Scales of Moerckia and Calycularia are typically broad, not linear.
Habitat
Associated species
Distribution Map
Relevant Literature
- Godfrey, J.D. (1977). Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of southwestern British Columbia . [Doctoral dissertation, University of British Columbia]. UBC cIRcle.
- Hong, W. S. (2007). Scapania. In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (Eds.), Flora of North America North of Mexico (Vol. 3) . Oxford University Press.
- Wagner, D. H. (2013). Guide to the liverworts of Oregon: Scapania undulata . Oregon State University Herbarium.