FACT SHEET

Common Name: Forest brownwort, larger cut notchwort (Edwards 2003) Scientific Name: exsectiformis (Breidl.) Loeske Division: (incorrectly called Hepatophyta in U.S. government taxon databases (e.g., ITIS 2008); see Stotler and Crandall-Stotler 2008) Class: Order: Family: Jungermanniaceae

Technical Description: Small, yellowish green to brownish green with two rows of asymmetrical leaves, growing in small tufts among other liverworts and mosses. Shoots to 3 cm long and 1.5–2 mm wide, ascending, green to brownish, sparingly branched. Rhizoids colorless to brownish. Leaves succubous, contiguous to imbricate, channeled, 2-3 lobed with the dorsal lobe slender, divergent, and usually positioned only 2/3 up the margin. Cells with thin walls and bulging trigones, cuticle usually strongly verruculose. Oil- bodies in median cells 3–6 per cell (Arnell 1981), 5–12 per cell (Hong 2002), 7– 13 per cell (Damsholt 2002), 12–15 per cell (Schuster 1969), or 8–16 per cell (Paton 1999). Oregon material seems to fit into the 5–13 oil-body per cell range (Wagner, pers. obs.). Reddish brown, angular, 2-celled gemmae in globular masses are frequent at the tips of the leaf lobes. The gemmae masses are most prominent at the shoot tips. Underleaves lacking. Reproductive structures are rare; according to Schuster (1969), plants are usually sterile. Distinctive Characters: The asymmetrical, 2-3 lobed leaves which are transversely inserted distinguish the genus and the brownish, angular gemmae distinguish the species. Similar species: Very similar to T. exsecta. has angular gemmae while T. exsecta has smooth, ovoid gemmae, T. exsectiformis usually has thin cell walls with bulging trigones while T. exsecta has nearly evenly thickened cell walls.

Life History: Published studies of life history traits in this particular species have not been located. This species is perennial, visible whenever the substrate is exposed. These plants are mostly found at high elevations where snow lies late, generally above 5000'/1500 m, and thus will have a short season that coincides with late summer and fall. Reproduction is entirely vegetative, primarily by dispersal of gemmae.

Range, Distribution, and Abundance: Tritomaria exsectiformis is an arctic- alpine, circumboreal species that is missing in Eastern Asia. Within Western North America it is known from Alaska, British Columbia, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming (Harpel and Dewey 2005). The species is sporadically distributed in northern parts of its range; it is reported

1 abundant in the Great Lakes region (Schuster 1969). In the Pacific Northwest it appears to be quite rare.

The Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center (ORNHIC 2007) lists sites in Deschutes, Douglas, Jefferson and Klamath Counties.

Hong (1994) cites no specimens but maps a single locality in Washington; the dot on his map is in the general vicinity of Wenatchee but the record on which the mapping is based is probably located in the Cascade Mountains further to the west.

"Recently a new site was located on the Olympic National Forest, (Clallam Co.) near Sequim, Washington. In eastern Washington there are sites on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (Okanogan County) and on the Colville National Forest (Stevens County)." Harpel and Dewey (2005).

BLM: Suspected in Klamath Falls Resource Area. USFS: In Oregon documented in Deschutes, Umpqua and Willamette National Forests; suspected in Fremont-Winema, Mt. Hood and Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests. In Washington documented in Okanogan-Wenatchee and Colville National Forests; suspected in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie and Gifford Pinchot National Forests.

Habitat Associations: On peaty or humic soil, or rotting wood, often on creek banks where perpetually shady, cool, and moist. Cold water springs with a substantial flow are likely spots, in mixed coniferous forests above 3,000' elevation on the east slope of the Cascade Mountains. Associates may include incisa, L. ventricosa, Blepharostoma trichophyllum, Calypogeia muelleriana, Cephalozia lunulifolia, and Lepidozia reptans.

"Within the Pacific Northwest this species is currently known from mid- elevational (3200-5200 feet) riparian zones. Typically, its habitat is open to shaded coniferous forest in association with low volume, perennial water flow at or near springs and seeps, along very gentle topographic gradients. Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) is present at nearly all sites of T. exsectiformis within the Oregon and Washington Cascades. Other tree species occurring at these sites include white fir, ponderosa pine, Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), western hemlock (Tusga heterophylla), mountain hemlock (Tusga mertensiana), and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). Currently, all but one of the T. exsectiformis sites in the Oregon and Washington Cascades occur within spring-fed hydrologic systems." Harpel and Dewey (2005).

2 Threats: The proximity to streams, campgrounds and trails poses threats from incidental recreational damage. Other resource use, such as water source development, logging, grazing, or special forest products, that causes degradation of substrate or change in hydrologic status could threaten persistence of healthy populations.

Conservation Considerations: A thorough Conservation Assessment document has been prepared by Harpel and Dewey (2005), which discusses conservation status and potential management approaches. This species occurs in habitats with a high potential for conflicts between management activities and habitat protection. Monitor known sites and consider management need when habitat changing activities are proposed in the vicinity of sites.

Conservation Rankings and Status: Global: G5; Oregon: S2 ORNHIC List 2 Washington: Not ranked

BLM/USFS Sensitive in Oregon

Other pertinent information: Surveys and Survey Protocol: Search stream banks and riparian zone immediately below cold water springs with steady water flow in upper montane regions.

Key to Identification of the Species: Christy and Wagner 1996.

Preparer: David H. Wagner Edited by: Rob Huff Date Completed: October, 2008

References: Arnell, S. 1981. Illustrated Moss Flora of Fennoscandia. I. Hepaticae. 2nd. Edition. Swedish Natural Science Research Council.

Christy, J.A. & D.H. Wagner. 1996. Guide for the identification of rare, threatened or sensitive in the range of the northern spotted owl, western Washington, western Oregon and northwestern California. USDI Bureau of Land Management, Oregon-Washington State Office, Portland. 222 pp.

Damsholt, K. 2002. Illustrated Flora of Nordic Liverworts and Hornworts. Nordic Bryological Society, Lund, Sweden.

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Edwards, S.R. 2003. English Names for British Bryophytes. Third Edition. British Bryological Society Special Volume No. 5.

Harpel, J.A. and R. Dewey. 2005. Conservation Assessment for Tritomaria exsectiformis (Breidl.) Schiffn. Unpublished report prepared for USDA Forest Service Region 6 and USDI Bureau of Land Management, Oregon and Washington.

Hong, W.S. 2002. Tritomaria. Flora of North America, Provisional Publication, Missouri Botanical Garden. http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/BFNA/v3/JungTritomaria.htm Accessed: August 2008.

ITIS. 2008. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (official government database of scientific names) http://www.itis.gov/index.html Accessed June 2008.

Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center. 2007. Rare, threatened and endangered species of Oregon. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Oregon State University. Portland. 100 pp. http://oregonstate.edu/ornhic/2007_t&e_book.pdf

Paton, J.A. 1999. The liverwort flora of the British Isles. Harley Books, Colchester, U.K.

Schuster, R.M. 1969. The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America. Volume 2. Columbia University Press, New York.

Stotler, R.E. and B. Crandall-Stotler. 2008. Correct author citations for some upper rank names of liverworts (Marchantiophyta). Taxon 57: 289-292.

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