Liochlaena lanceolata
| Common Name | Long-leaved Flapwort |
| Frequency | Infrequent |
Image Gallery
Distinguishing Features
This wide-spreading (shoots up to 4mm wide), unlobed leafy liverwort tends to flourish on moist decaying wood and logs in wet forests, with hues varying from light green to golden red. The lateral leaves are attached mostly along the length of the shoot and flipping the shoots over should reveal a narrow, linear underleaf upon close inspection with a hand lens. This species is commonly found with tubular perianths (modified leaves enclosing developing archegonia and sporophytes) that show a recessed beak at their tip (see photo).
Similar species
There are a number of unlobed leafy liverworts that can occur on rotting wood and thus could easily be mistaken for L. lanceolata. Syzygiella autumnalis has similar colour, leaf size and orientation but lacks the underleaf and recessed beak of the perianth that is present in L. lanceolata. Chiloscyphus species also can look similar, but their underleaves are forked, as opposed to the simple and linear underleaves of L. lanceolata. Species of Jungermannia, Plectocolea and Solenostoma all have simple leaves and similar habits, but none have underleaves and most are not found on decaying wood. Odontoschisma denudata can be found on wet wood, but it has much smaller (shoots less than 2mm wide) and its underleaves are round, not linear. Species of Mylia also have a linear underleaf and unlobed lateral leaves, but leaves at the shoot tip in Mylia are densely crowded into an opposite arrangement while leaves at the shoot tips in L. lanceolata hardly overlap and show obvious staggered arrangement.
Habitat
Moist to mesic, shady humus, decayed wood, and streambanks, especially in coniferous forests, in the lowland and montane 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.