Bryolog 26 (25 November 2021)

Upcoming

• Run for the Chapter’s Board of Directors
  A volunteer organization like ours only runs if people step up and take part. Positions on the Chapter Board begin their two-year terms on 1 April, but terms are staggered such that two positions are up for election each year. This year, the President Elect and Treasurer positions will be voted on. The duties of the positions are spelled out here: https://chapters.cnps.org/bryophyte/about/. If you are interested in running for one of these positions, please contact Brent Mishler at bmishler@berkeley.edu by 15 December 2021. The election will be held in February 2022; to be announced in the next issue of Bryolog.
• SO BE FREE 26 will be held 25–28 March 2022 in the Mojave Desert. Slots are filling up fast and are expected to be full by the end of December. Register here: https://bryophyte.cnps.org/images/pdf/2022_SBF_Flyer.pdf. If you need more convincing, read Kirsten’s invitation with enticing photos here…
• Friends of the Jepson Herbarium OPEN MICroscope night (virtual) with Brent Mishler 1 December 2021. Details here…
• Beginner walk and microscopy session in San Luis Obispo, Saturday, 8 January 2022. Details here…
• Walk focusing on non-flowering plants at Temescal Gateway Park in Santa Monica, Saturday, 15 January 2022. Details here…
• Andy Pigniolo will give a talk on the Liverworts and Hornworts of San Diego County on Saturday, 12 February 2022 at 3 pm at the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. Details here…
• Virtual Workshop, “Introduction to Bryophytes,” Saturday 12 March 2022—a good complement to SO BE FREE! Details here…
• Opening for Student Service Contractor: Botanist/Ecologist, USGS at Western Ecological Research Center, with special focus on the management and restoration of vascular plants and biological soil crusts. Start date negotiable. Read the full announcement here:
  https://wfscjobs.tamu.edu/jobs/student-service-contractor-botanist-ecologist-nevada/

Quarterly Report

• Taxa lists for SO BE FREE 25, compiled by Ed Dearing.

Timeless Bits

• Adorable leafy liverwort, Mesoptychia polymorpha, spotted on South Coast, by Amanda Heinrich. Details here…
• The special bryophyte issue of Madroño, A West American Journal of Botany, published by the California Botanical Society (CBS), Volume 68, Issue 3, 2021, is now available. Order here https://calbotsoc.org/order-issues/#bryoflora

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Join us for the 26th annual SO BE FREE, March 25–28, 2022!

This year’s SO BE FREE will take place in the stunning Mojave Desert—while the desert might not be the first destination you associate with all things bryological, the Mojave supports a number of fascinating and resilient bryophytes, if you know where to look! Our home base for this excursion will be the Desert Studies Center in historic Zzyzx, CA. Nestled amongst several natural springs on the edge of a dry soda lake, Zzyzx and its surrounding habitats has been a draw for humans and wildlife for thousands of years. The Desert Studies Center is also situated within the Mojave National Preserve, where we will explore habitats hosting desert mosses and liverworts.

Register here https://bryophyte.cnps.org/images/pdf/2022_SBF_Flyer.pdf.Check out Brent Mishler’s Virtual Workshop, “Introduction to Bryophytes,” Saturday 12 March 2022, a good complement, here…

Friends of the Jepson Herbarium OPEN MICroscope night (virtual) with Brent Mishler 1 December 2021

On 1 December 2021, from 6:30–8:30 p.m., Brent Mishler will talk on Zoom about bryophytes and their biology, and share new information resulting from his integrative project on the moss clade Syntrichia that ranges from genomes through systematics and physiology, to the important ecological role these mosses play in fragile biotic soil crust environments in drylands around the world. All questions are welcome, anything from basic biology to species concepts are all fair game! Registration is free, but is limited to members of the Friends of the Jepson Herbarium. To sign up see: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/workshops/

Beginner walk and microscopy session in San Luis Obispo

Beginner walk and microscopy session in San Luis Obispo, Saturday, 8 January, 2022 unless it is raining, in which case the event re-schedules for Saturday, 22 January, 2022. Starts at 9:00 a.m. on the campus of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Fisher Science 33-354. Enter campus via Grand Ave or Highland Drive—Grand Ave is closer to the building. Buy a day parking pass from one of the electronic kiosks. Parking in the K1 lot is best followed by a short walk downhill to the lab. From the lab, we will walk Poly Canyon. Those who wish to, can stay for a microscope session after the walk. For updates, email Paul, paulsiriwilson@gmail.com

Walk focusing on non-flowering plants at Temescal Gateway Park

Walk focusing on non-flowering plants at Temescal Gateway Park in Santa Monica, Saturday, 15 January, 2022 unless it is raining, in which case the event re-schedules for Saturday, 29 January, 2022. Starts at 9:30 a.m. at the parking lot (though if you walk in, you can save on parking fees). For updates, email Paul, paulsiriwilson@gmail.com

Andy Pigniolo will give a talk

Andy Pigniolo will give a talk on the Liverworts and Hornworts of San Diego County to the Torrey Pines Docent Society on Saturday, 12 February, 2022 at 3 p.m. at the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. The event is free (with parking fee) and open to the public. Meet at the pavilion area near the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Lodge and upper parking lots. For more information and updates, please email Andy, lagunaenv@aol.com

Virtual Workshop, “Introduction to Bryophytes”

Saturday 12 March 2022 – a good complement to SO BE FREE! On 12 March 2022 (9:00–12:00 & 1:00–4:00), Brent Mishler will lead a virtual workshop, “Introduction to Bryophytes,” hosted by the Jepson Herbarium.  This is a virtual reincarnation of the famous in-person Jepson workshop offered every other year since 1994, and like its predecessors will provide participants with the opportunity to learn more about the evolution, ecology, and systematics of mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. It will also cover introductory topics on how to identify them. Given the virtual format, we will not be able to have the hands-on microscope sessions and field trip we have traditionally included, but we will cover some useful techniques through demonstrations.

The timing of this workshop is perfect for SO BE FREE 26, which will be held 25–28 March 2022 in the Mojave desert at Zzyzx.  Hands-on microscope sessions and field trips will be held there. The usual beginners session will be held the first morning of SBF, but we’ll do that in the field rather than repeating the introductory material given in the March 12th workshop.

So those who can attend both this workshop and SO BE FREE will get a very complete introduction to the world of bryology, although each freestanding event is valuable in itself.  Registration details for the workshop will be posted on December 1st at https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/workshops/

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Taxa lists for SO BE FREE 25

—compiled by Ed Dearing, edandmary@onebox.com
—edited by David Toren and Jim Shevock

Saratoga Springs, Lake County, CA

Mosses
Amphidium californicum
Antitrichia californica
Bartramia aprica
Claopodium whippleanum
Dendroalsia abietina
Didymodon brachyphyllus (Vinealobryum brachyphyllum)
Didymodon tophaceus (Geheebia tophacea)
Didymodon vinealis (Vinealobryum vineale)
Fissidens crispus
Funaria hygrometrica
Grimmia laevigata
Grimmia lisae
Grimmia trichophylla
Homalothecium nuttallii
Homalothecium pinnatifidum
Isothecium stoloniferum
Nogopterium gracile
Philonotis capillaris
Polytrichum juniperinum
Pseudocrossidium obtusulum
Pulvigera lyellii
Scleropodium julaceum
Scleropodium obtusifolium
Scleropodium touretii
Syntrichia laevipila
Syntrichia princeps
Timmiella crassinervis

Liverworts
Frullania bolanderi
Porella sp.

—list compiled by David Toren and Ed Dearing, July 2020

Bridge Arbor/Robinson Creek, Lake County, CA

Liverworts
Asterella californica
Lunularia cruciata
Marchantia polymorpha
Targionia hypophylla

Mosses
Antitrichia californica
Archidium crassicostatum
Barbula convoluta
Dicranoweisia cirrata
Didymodon norrisii (Vinealobryum norrisii)
Didymodon vinealis (Vinealobryum vineale)
Fissidens bryoides
Fissidens fontanus
Fontinalis antipyretica
Gemmabryum dichotomum
Gemmabryum gemmilucens
Hedwigia detonsa
Hennediella stanfordensis
Homalothecium nuttallii
Imbribryum torenii
Phascum cuspidatum
Pleuridium acuminatum
Pulvigera sp
Pseudobraunia californica
Pseudocrossidium obtusulum
Scleropodium julaceum
Syntrichia latifolia
Syntrichia princeps
Tortula bolanderi

—Collections and observations by David Toren, Brent Mishler, and Ed Dearing

 

Muir Mill Canyon, Mendocino County, CA

Liverworts
Asterella bolanderi
Asterella californica
Chiloscyphus polyanthos
Conocephalum conicum s.l.
Frullania nisquallensis
Lunularia cruciata
Metzgeria conjugata
Porella cordaeana
Scapania bolanderi

Mosses
Amphidium californicum
Anacolia menziesii
Antitrichia californica
Atrichum selwynii
Aulacomnium androgynum
Brachythecium asperrimum
Brachythecium frigidum
Bryum argenteum
Ceratodon purpureus
Claopodium whippleanum
Codriophorus acicularis
Crumia latifolia
Dannorrisia bigelovii
Dendroalsia abietina
Dichodontium pellucidum
Dicranoweisia cirrata
Dicranum fuscescens
Dicranum howellii
Didymodon nicholsonii (Vinealobryum nicholsonii)
Didymodon vinealis (Vinealobryum vineale)
Epipterygium tozeri
Fissidens bryoides
Fissidens crispus
Fissidens ventricosus
Frisvollia varia
Funaria convexa
Funaria hygrometrica
Gemmabryum caespiticium
Gemmabryum vinosum
Grimmia laevigata
Grimmia lisae
Grimmia pulvinata
Grimmia trichophylla
Hedwigia stellata
Homalothecium arenarium
Homalothecium nuttallii
Homalothecium pinnatifidum
Imbribryum torenii
Isothecium cristatum
Isothecium stoloniferum
Kindbergia oregana
Kindbergia praelonga
Leucolepis acanthoneura
Lewinskia pseudoaffine
Metaneckera menziesii
Neckera douglasii
Nogopterium gracile
Orthodicranum tauricum
Orthotrichum rivulare
Philonotis sp.
Plagiobryoides cf. renauldii
Plagiobryoides vinosula
Plagiomnium venustum
Plagiothecium pacificum
Pohlia wahlenbergii
Polytrichum juniperinum
Pseudobraunia californica
Ptychomitrium gardneri
Ptychostomum pseudotriquetrum
Pulvigera lyellii
Pulvigera papillosa
Pseudotaxiphyllum elegans
Rosulabryum canariense
Rosulabryum capillare
Rosulabryum gemmascens
Rosulabryum torquescens
Schistidium rivulare
Scleropodium cespitans
Scleropodium obtusifolium
Scleropodium touretii
Stereodon subimponens
Syntrichia princeps
Syntrichia ruralis
Timmiella anomala
Timmiella crassinervis
Tortula muralis
Trochophyllohypnum circinale
Weissia controversa

Hornworts
hornwort- collected by Kleinman & Blisard

—Collections and observations by Jim Shevock, Marisela De Santa Anna, Kerry Heise, Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, John Spence, and Ed Dearing

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Adorable leafy liverwort, Mesoptychia polymorpha Stotler, Crandall-Stotler & Bakalin, spotted on the South Coast

—Amanda Heinrich, Channel Islands Chapter Liaison

After a recent visit to Nojoqui Falls, a popular tourist attraction here in Santa Barbara County, I discovered a tiny, delicate, leafy liverwort in several of my photos. 

I did not recognize the species and returned to the site to assess the population and make a microcollection. Unable to key the little darling out to any degree of satisfaction, I sent photos to David Wagner, who assured me with utter confidence that it was none other than Mesoptychia polymorpha.  

Mesoptychia polymorpha was described in 2013 by Crandall-Stotler, B., R.E. Stotler, V.A. Bakalin, and W.T. Doyle (http://archive.sciendo.com/PBJ/pbj.2013.58.issue-1/pbj-2013-0009/pbj-2013-0009.pdf), and was thought to be restricted to a few locations among the coastal redwoods in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties.

Mesoptychia polymorpha has been found on “continuously moist, deeply shaded calcareous substrates,” which fits the bill. The ~100 foot high Nojoqui Falls are fed by a spring and typically have at least a trickle of water year round. Calcium and magnesium carbonate from the rocks above are dissolved in Nojoqui Creek and deposited on the cliff wall as the water evaporates, forming a porous limestone deposit called travertine.

A small population of Mesoptychia polymorpha is growing in the tiny dark cavelets of travertine, scattered amongst other bryophytes such as Eucladium verticillatum, Fissidens bryoides and Phaeoceros pearsonii, in the drips adjacent to the main falls, shaded by Big Leaf Maple, California Bay, and the steep cliffs forming the narrow canyon. 

Nojoqui Falls (pronounced Naw-ho-wee) were named after a nearby Chumash village, Naxuwi, which is thought to mean “meadow.” They are at the base of the north face of the Santa Ynez Mountains, the westernmost of California’s east-west running Transverse Ranges, and are just 4 miles north of the south coast. The short trail up to the falls passes through the Cretaceous Jalama shale formation, which has been eroded by Nojoqui creek over millennia, forming the canyon. The falls cascade over Jalama sandstone, which is more resistant to erosion, and as the travertine deposits slowly build up, the cliff actually grows outward.  

One of the great mysteries of Mesoptychia polymorpha is its mechanism of dispersal. Although antheridia and archegonia have been found on plants, sporophytes have never been seen. Indeed, on my many subsequent trips to visit the plants this past year, I failed to find any sporophytes. In the absence of spores, how would these plants have spread to adjacent canyons in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, let alone down to Santa Barbara County? Perhaps time will tell.  

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