Ellura Sanctuary: Mosses & Liverworts

Plants (Plantae) - Mosses & Liverworts (Bryophyta) - Mosses (Bryopsida) - Mosses (Bartramiales); 1 species, none from Ellura - Moss (Bartramiaceae); 1 species, none from Ellura

Starry Lime Moss
Breutelia affinis

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Imaged 3 in Aug(1), Sep(1) & Oct(1)

Patch

Small Head

Large Head, <3mm

Plants (Plantae) - Mosses & Liverworts (Bryophyta) - Mosses (Bryopsida) - Mosses (Bryales); 1 species from Ellura - Moss (Bryaceae); 1 species from Ellura

Clear Green Moss
Rosulabryum billardierei

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A spore capsule is called a "Sporangium", plural is "Sporangia"

Imaged 7 in Jun(1), Jul(3) & Sep(3)

🔍Head, <5mm

Patch

Colour Variation

Patch with Sporangia

Current Sporangia

Old Sporangia

Plants (Plantae) - Mosses & Liverworts (Bryophyta) - Mosses (Bryopsida) - Mosses (Dicranales); 1 species, none from Ellura - Moss (Dicranaceae); 1 species, none from Ellura

Blunt-sporangium Moss
Dicranaceae sp ES01

iNaturalist

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Thank you Andrew Thornhill for identifying this species for us

We originally thought this was a type of Grimmia sp

Imaged 1 in May

🔍Above

🔍Profile

Plants (Plantae) - Mosses & Liverworts (Bryophyta) - Mosses (Bryopsida) - Cord Mosses (Funariales); 1 species from Ellura - Cord Moss (Funariaceae); 1 species from Ellura

Slender Dunking Ducks
Entosthodon subnudus var gracilis

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Similar Species: Onion Moss (Gigaspermum repens)

Thank you János Vörösbaranyi for identifying this species for us

~1mm wide at the base.
We originally thought these were the same as Onion Moss (Gigaspermum repens). But that species doesn't have the sporangia on stalks, which are clearly seen here.
Looking at great lengths one can see the leaves are very slightly different.

Imaged 1Fr in Jul

🔍Base, profile

🔍Whole, profile

🔍Almost Mature Sporangium

🔍Immature Sporangium Sheath

Plants (Plantae) - Mosses & Liverworts (Bryophyta) - Mosses (Bryopsida) - Stalkless Mosses (Gigaspermales); 1 species from Ellura - Stalkless Moss (Gigaspermaceae); 1 species from Ellura

Onion Moss
Gigaspermum repens

iNaturalist

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Thank you Alan Dandie for identifying this species for us

~1mm wide at the base.
These do not have their sporagia on a stalk, very unique.

Imaged 2 in Jul(1) & Aug(1)

🔍Young, Dorsal & Size

🔍Young, Close Up

Plants (Plantae) - Mosses & Liverworts (Bryophyta) - Mosses (Bryopsida) - Dense Leaved Mosses (Grimmiales); 1 species from Ellura - Rock Moss (Grimmiaceae); 1 species from Ellura

Grassy Knoll Moss
Grimmia pulvinata

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Other Common Name: Grey-cushioned Grimmia

Thank you Alan Dandie for identifying and Andrew Thornhill for confirming the id of this species for us

Alan said "Capsules inverted amongst the leaves"

Imaged 8 in Feb(1), Jun(1), Jul(2), Aug(2), Sep(1) & Nov(1)

🔍Above, perspective

🔍Sporangia

🔍Confusing

🔍Typical Eye view on Rocks

🔍Dried up

Plants (Plantae) - Mosses & Liverworts (Bryophyta) - Mosses (Bryopsida) - Mosses (Hypnales); 1 species, none from Ellura - Moss (Hypnaceae); 1 species, none from Ellura

Fern Moss
Hypnum cupressiforme ssp cupressiforme

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Imaged 5 in Apr(1), May(2), Aug(1) & Sep(1)

Unentangled

Close up

Drying

Plants (Plantae) - Mosses & Liverworts (Bryophyta) - Mosses (Bryopsida) - Mosses (Pottiales); 1 species from Ellura - Moss (Pottiaceae); 1 species from Ellura

Bristly Screw-moss
Syntrichia antarctica

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Other Common Name: Reddish-leaved Moss

Thank you Alan Dandie for identifying and Andrew Thornhill for confirming the id of this species for us

Alan said "From Mosses of Dry Forests, by Read and Slattery, 'robust, strap-shaped leaves have a rounded tip with a long, whitish toothed hairpoint.....the nerve is usually a distinct reddish brown. The long cylindrical capsules sit erect on reddish stalks. The lid is long and conical...' Matches your observation to a T."

Imaged 16(2Fr) in Jun(4), Jul(9:2Fr), Aug(1) & Sep(2)

🔍Whole

🔍Closer

🔍Sporangia

🔍"Leaves"

Plants (Plantae) - Mosses & Liverworts (Bryophyta) - Juniper Mosses (Polytrichopsida) - Mosses (Polytrichales); 1 species, none from Ellura - Moss (Polytrichaceae); 1 species, none from Ellura

Juniper Moss
Polytrichum juniperinum

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Imaged 10(2Fr) in Feb(1Fr), May(1), Jul(1), Aug(3), Sep(1), Oct(1Fr), Nov(1) & Dec(1)

Female

Male

Young

Sporangium

Sporangia

Plants (Plantae) - Liverworts (Marchantiophyta) - Leafy Liverworts (Jungermanniopsida) - Leafy Liverworts (Fossombroniales); 1 species from Ellura - Leafy Liverwort (Fossombroniaceae); 1 species from Ellura

Leafy Liverwort
Fossombronia pusilla

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Imaged 2 in May(1) & Aug(1)

In fruit

~10-15mm each

Perspective

Plants (Plantae) - Liverworts (Marchantiophyta) - Leafy Liverworts (Jungermanniopsida) - Leafy Liverworts (Jungermanniales); 1 species, none from Ellura - Leafy Liverwort (Lophocoleaceae); 1 species, none from Ellura

Flat Fern Liverwort
Chiloscyphus semiteres ssp semiteres

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Synonyms: Jungermannia semiteres or Lophocolea semiteres

Thank you Michal Dutkiewicz for identifying this species for us

Imaged 2 in May(1) & Aug(1)

Plants (Plantae) - Liverworts (Marchantiophyta) - Liverworts (Marchantiopsida) - Crescent Liverworts (Lunulariales); 1 species, none from Ellura - Crescent Liverwort (Lunulariaceae); 1 species, none from Ellura

Crescent-cup Liverwort
Lunularia cruciata

iNaturalist

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Thank you Dr Guido Brusa for confirming the id of this species for us

The Gemma here look like spores capsules in other life forms, with the cups looking like fruiting bodies.
However, the Gemma are actually parts of the plant that disperse (similarly to seed & spores) and take root. Instead of being wind blown, these are dispersed by raindrops hitting the cup.
The big difference is these are not produce sexually, but more a broken off part of the plant. Thinking of it as a plant that has suckered from roots. The new plant becomes independant of the original, but is a clone of the original.

Imaged 3 in May(1) & Sep(2)

🔍Whole

Gemma

Whole

Gemma

Plants (Plantae) - Liverworts (Marchantiophyta) - Liverworts (Marchantiopsida) - Liverworts (Marchantiales); 5 species from Ellura - Liverwort (Aytoniaceae); 1 species from Ellura

Warty Liverwort
Asterella drummondii

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Thank you Alan Dandie & Tony and Jenny Dominelli for identifying this species for us

We've recognised them from the Adelaide Hills with the caps on stalks shown here. But then we found them at Ellura with little balls on the "leaves" and thought they were Riccia limbata. But Riccia doesn't have fruit like this.

Imaged 7(3Fr) in Feb(1), May(1), Jun(1), Jul(3:2Fr) & Sep(1Fr)

Patch

🔍Patch, Early Sporangia

🔍Close Up, Early Sporangia

🔍Early Stage Sporangia

🔍Sporangium, profile

🔍Sporangium Head, ~4mm

Sporangium