Gymnomitrion commutatum

Gymnomitrion commutatum
Phylum: Marchantiophyta
Family: Gymnomitriaceae
Genus: Gymnomitrion
Common NameNone
FrequencyInfrequent

Distinguishing Features

One of the large divisions in the genus Gymnomitrion is that between the reddish species and the whitish species. G. commutatum is a species of arctic and alpine late snow areas that falls confidently on the red end of the spectrum, producing linear shoots with equally bilobed and spreading leaves with a margin that rolls back slightly (“recurved”). Leafy shoots are prostrate , less than 1 mm wide and up to 2 cm long, the leaves themselves only slightly overlapping but mostly free from the shoot.

Similar species

Red-hued species of Gymnomitrion are most likely to be mistaken for Marsupella. There are no cut and dried vegetative characters to distinguish between these two genera and reproductive structures used to traditionally seperate them are rarely present. Red species Gymnomitrion should be checked against small red species of Marsupella. See table for comparison to other regional species of Gymnomitrion.

Habitat

Dry to moist cliffs, rock outcrops, ledges, crevices, boulders, humus, and mineral soil in the lowland (rare), montane, subalpine, and alpine zones

Associated species

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Distribution Map

Relevant Literature