Barbilophozia lycopodioides
| Common Name | Greater Pawwort |
| Frequency | Frequent |
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Distinguishing Features
Barbilophozia lycopodioides is a large and dominant leafy liverwort in northern and montane landscapes, where is formed a groundcover of lanky yellow or green shoots that can be more than 5 cm long and up to 5 mm wide. The lateral leaves are predominantly 4-lobed, the lobes having sharp,spiny tips and descending to about 1/4th the leaf’s length. Underleaves are present, and the bases of the lateral leaves are typically ornamented with numerous long, stiff hairs-like outgrowths (“cilia”).
Similar species
Species of Tritomaria typically have 3 lobes that are not symmetrical and the shoots are reclined. In Barbilophozia barbata, leaves are symmetrical with occasionally 3 but predominantly 4 lobes and the shoots are upright. Neoorthocaulis floerkii can have 4 symmetrical lobes, but it also has a prominent underleaf that is absent in B. barbata. Within the genus Barbilophozia, a few other species have 4 lobes and lack underleaves. B. hatcheri is laden with red gemmae that are absent in B. lycopodioides. B. lycopodioides is similair in stature to B. barbata, but its leaf lobes are tipped by a little spine, whereas the leaf lobes in B. barbata lack said spine. Barbilophozia quadriloba has underleaves and deeply incised lobes compared to B. lycopodioides, where the lobes are very short and wide and the underleaves are absent.
Habitat
Moist to mesic humus, rock outcrops, fens, and heath, especially in coniferous forests, in the upper montane and subalpine zones
Associated species
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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.