Gymnomitrion concinnatum

Gymnomitrion concinnatum
Phylum: Marchantiophyta
Family: Gymnomitriaceae
Genus: Gymnomitrion
Synonyms: Acolea breviloba Steph., Acolea concinnata (Lightf.) Dumort., Acolea concinnata fo. procumbens (Nees) Bernet, Acolea concinnata fo. rufa (Limpr.) Bernet, Acolea concinnata fo. viridis (Limpr.) Bernet, Acolea concinnata var. intermedia (Limpr.) Bernet, Acolea concinnata var. procumbens (Nees) C. Massal., Cesia concinnata (Lightf.) Lindb., Cesius concinnatus (Lightf.) Gray, Cesius concinnatus var. ambiguus Kaal., Cesius concinnatus var. argenteus Jørg., Cesius concinnatus var. bryhnii Kaal., Cesius concinnatus var. intermedius (Limpr.) Jørg., Cesius concinnatus var. rufescens Kaal., Cesius concinnatus var. rufus (Limpr.) Jørg., Gymnomitrion brevilobum (Steph.) Horik., Gymnomitrion concinnatum fo. elongatum Schiffn., Gymnomitrion concinnatum fo. laxum Meyl., Gymnomitrion concinnatum fo. procumbens Nees, Gymnomitrion concinnatum fo. rufum Limpr., Gymnomitrion concinnatum fo. viride Limpr., Gymnomitrion concinnatum var. ambiguum (Kaal.) S.W. Arnell, Gymnomitrion concinnatum var. argenteum (Jørg.) Müll. Frib., Gymnomitrion concinnatum var. bryhnii (Kaal.) Müll. Frib., Gymnomitrion concinnatum var. intermedium Limpr., Gymnomitrion concinnatum var. reflexum Müll. Frib., Gymnomitrion concinnatum var. rufescens (Kaal.) Müll. Frib., Jungermannia concinnata Lightf., Jungermannia gymnomitrioides Nees, Schisma concinnatum (Lightf.) Dumort., Schisma concinnatum Dumort.
Common NameBraided Frostwort
Quick & Dirty IDXXXXXX
© Jason Headley
iNaturalist
© Brian Starzomski
iNaturalist
© Dan Tucker
iNaturalist

Distinguishing Features

A less common species of subalpine rock, G. concinnatum occurs as white wormy shoots to 2 cm long that occasionally branch as they loosely wend along the bases and in the crevices of bedrock. It has leaves that are pale whitish-green, tightly overlapping and made up of two equal lobes that terminate in a point. Under the microscope, oil bodies will be present in fresh leaves.

Similar species

The only other white-hued liverworts in the region belong to the genus Anthelia, which is an order of magnitude smaller. While A. julacea and A. juratzkana can occur in similair alpine environments and show tightly overlapping leaves, the leaves are deeply divided (more than 2/3rd their length) compare to species of Gymnomitrion, which are typically divided to about 1/3rd their length. See table for comparison to other regional species of Gymnomitrion.

Habitat

Dry to wet cliffs, rock outcrops, ledges, crevices, boulders, mineral soil, humus, snowbed sites, heath, and tundra in the montane, subalpine, and alpine zones

Associated species

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Distribution Map

Relevant Literature