Cephaloziella phyllacantha
| Common Name | None |
| Frequency | Rare |
Image Gallery
Distinguishing Features
A rare cryptic species of very damp rock and soil near waterfalls where it threads its way through other, larger bryophytes, Cephaloziella phyllacantha is a whitish green and toothy plant so small that it is unlikely to be detected without a microscope. The deeply lobed leaves (to within a few cells of their base) are flamboyantly toothed, with tall conical papillae over many of the leaf cells (see image) that are unique to this species.
Similar species
Cephaloziella turneri, C. elachista and C. spinigera all have deeply divided leaves with somewhat prominent teeth, as in C. phyllacantha. All of these similar species lack the conical papillae under the microscope. Its also useful to know that they grow in very different habitats- C. turneri in seasonally hot and dry areas, while both C. elachista and C. spinigera are “Sphagnicolous”, growing between the shoots of Sphagnum in bogs and fens.
Habitat
Moist to wet, shady humus, cliffs, crevices, and boulders in the lowland zone and montane (rare) zones; rare in sw and ec [Rocky Mts.] BC.
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.