Ellura Sanctuary: Mosses & Liverworts

Imaged 3 in Aug(1), Sep(1) & Oct(1)
Imaged between 14-Aug-2016 and 01-Oct-2016

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

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

Imaged 7 in Jun(1), Jul(3) & Sep(3)
Imaged between 16-Jul-2012 and 25-Jul-2023

🔍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

Thank you Andrew Thornhill for identifying this species for us

We originally thought this was a type of Grimmia sp

Imaged 1 on 10-May-2016

🔍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

iNaturalist

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 on 31-Jul-2023

🔍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

Thank you Alan Dandie (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)
Imaged between 31-Jul-2023 and 02-Aug-2023

🔍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

iNaturalist

Other Common Name: Grey-cushioned Grimmia

Thank you Alan Dandie (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)
Imaged between 07-Feb-2011 and 26-Sep-2020

🔍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

Imaged 5 in Apr(1), May(2), Aug(1) & Sep(1)
Imaged between 24-Apr-2011 and 07-Sep-2016

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

iNaturalist

Other Common Name: Reddish-leaved Moss

Thank you Alan Dandie (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)
Imaged between 02-Jul-2012 and 25-Jul-2021

🔍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

Imaged 10(2Fr) in Feb(1Fr), May(1), Jul(1), Aug(3), Sep(1), Oct(1Fr), Nov(1) & Dec(1)
Imaged between 28-Aug-2010 and 01-Oct-2016

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

Imaged 2 in May(1) & Aug(1)
Imaged between 10-May-2016 and 31-Aug-2016

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

Synonyms: Jungermannia semiteres or Lophocolea semiteres

Thank you Michal Dutkiewicz for identifying this species for us

Imaged 2 in May(1) & Aug(1)
Imaged between 10-May-2016 and 13-Aug-2016

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

If
a

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)
Imaged between 10-May-2016 and 30-Sep-2016

🔍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

iNaturalist

Thank you Alan Dandie (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)
Imaged between 19-Feb-2014 and 25-Jul-2021

Patch

🔍Patch, Early Sporangia

🔍Close Up, Early Sporangia

🔍Early Stage Sporangia

🔍Sporangium, profile

🔍Sporangium Head, ~4mm

Sporangium

Rusty-based Crystalwort
Riccia inflexa

iNaturalist

Thank you Em Lamond & Tony and Jenny Dominelli for confirming the id of this species for us

Imaged 1 on 25-Jul-2023

🔍Close up

🔍Patch

Thallose Crystalwort
Riccia lamellosa

iNaturalist

Other Common Name: Thallose Liverwort

Thank you Em Lamond & Tony and Jenny Dominelli for confirming the id of this species for us

Notice how much larger this one is (on the right of the comparison shot) compared to Spongy Crystalwort (Riccia spongiosula)

Imaged 2 in May(1) & Aug(1)
Imaged between 27-May-2020 and 02-Aug-2023

🔍Layered Edge

🔍Spongy Surface

🔍Comparison

Black-edged Crystalwort
Riccia limbata

iNaturalist

Synonym: Riccia lata

Thank you Jon Sago & Tony and Jenny Dominelli for confirming the id of this species for us

Imaged 6 in May(1), Jun(1), Jul(2), Aug(1) & Sep(1)
Imaged between 17-Jul-2013 and 26-Sep-2020

🔍Close Up

A Carpet

Spongy Crystalwort
Riccia spongiosula

iNaturalist