Species Fact Sheet

SPECIES FACT SHEET

Common Name: Three-ranked knob moss, California triquetrella moss Scientific Name: Triquetrella californica Division: Bryophyta Class: Bryopsida Order: Pottiales Family: Pottiaceae

Technical Description: Plants ascending or trailing, stems 1-3 cm long, branched irregularly, the branches threadlike, 0.5-0.75 mm wide. Stems triangular in cross-section. Leaves yellow-green to yellowish-brown, decurrent, straight and imbricate when dry, with flexuose tips, lanceolate. When wet, leaves erect-spreading to squarrose, in three longitudinal rows, the rows straight or spiraling up the stem, but this character is not obvious on dry plants. Costa prominent at back of leaf. Margins of leaves conspicuously recurved, crenulate because of projecting papillae. Leaf cells rounded, thick-walled, with tall, often forked papillae. Leaf color reaction orange to yellowish orange in KOH (Zander 1980, 2002). Plants dioicous; male plants and capsules have not been found. Distinctive characters: (1) Leaves, when wet, spiraling up the stem in three distinct rows, (2) the leaf cells with tall, often forked papillae. Similar species: The sterile leafy plants of Triquetrella have been confused with other genera in the Pottiaceae. Didymodon vinealis and its many varieties, also occurring on soil in open areas, range in color from yellow-green to reddish to blackish. When dry, its leaves are contorted, and when wet, they lack the distinctive three-ranked habit exhibited by Triquetrella. Didymodon ferrugineus (= D. fallax var. reflexus) is similar to Triquetrella but its (1) stem is round in cross-section, (2) leaf margins are not crenulate and only weakly recurved, (3) leaves are 3-5 ranked, and (4) in the Pacific Northwest it is not known south of British Columbia. Other descriptions and illustrations: Grout 1938: 170; Zander 1980: 230; Casas et al. 1993: 126; Christy and Wagner 1996: VII-87; Zander 2002; Game 2004.

Life History: Details not documented. Protonema inconspicuous, forming buds and shoots in usual fashion of moss growth and development. Plants with capsules should be sought. If male plants and capsules do not exist, populations are limited to vegetative reproduction and dispersal. This condition implies lower genetic diversity and slower rates of dispersal and colonization than in species producing spores. Populations limited to vegetative reproduction can be locally abundant but are at risk of catastrophic loss at particular localities and limited means of movement into new habitats.

Range, Distribution, and Abundance: Endemic to western North America. Known only from scattered localities near the coast, southwestern Oregon to southern California.

1 National Forests: none documented; suspected on the Rogue River-Siskiyou and Siuslaw forests because of similar habitat or proximity to known sites. BLM Districts: none documented; suspected on the Coos Bay District because of similar habitat and proximity to known sites.

Rare and endangered throughout its range, probably undercollected.

Habitat Associations: Forming loose mats on exposed to shaded soil, rocks, sand, or gravel in dry or moist situations. Reported from trails, roadsides, picnic areas, playgrounds, and rock outcrops from sea level to about 1600 feet elevation, within 10 miles of the coast (Stark 1980; Shevock and Toren 2001; Norris and Shevock 2004a, 2004b). Plant associations range from Pinus contorta var. contorta, Picea sitchensis, Sequoia sempervirens, and grassland at the north end of its range to dense chaparral on north-facing slopes at the southern end of its range (Stark 1980). Reported with Bucklandiella heterosticha (= Racomitrium heterostichum) and Cladonia.

Threats: Triquetrella californica is threatened by commercial, residential, and recreational development, including facilities on public lands. Most known historic sites in southern California have been lost to development (Shevock 2004). The best opportunity for conservation would be on federal land and in state parks where natural area management is possible. Some populations appear to exist in disturbed areas, and seem to be able to coexist with moderate recreational traffic.

Conservation Considerations: Revisit all known localities and monitor the status of populations. Search for new populations on federal and state lands. Surveys in suitable habitat and protection of known sites should be a priority.

Conservation rankings: Global: G1; National: N1. Oregon: S1, List 1; California: S1. Not known from Washington.

Preparer: John A. Christy

Date Completed: September 2006. Revised May 2007 with edits from Rob Huff, Russ Holmes, and Daphne Stone.

Revised by Candace Fallon, February 2011 (Revision only adds Attachment 1, Photos)

ATTACHMENTS:

(1) Photos

References

2 Casas, C., R.M. Cros & J. Muñoz. 1993. Triquetrella arapilensis y especies afines: su morfología y distribución geográphica. Bryologist 96: 122-131.

Christy, J.A. & D.H. Wagner. 1996. Guide for the identification of rare, threatened or sensitive bryophytes 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.

Game, J. 2004. Triquetrella californica. Images of California bryophytes. https://www.csun.edu/~hcbio028/

Grout, A.J. 1928-1941. Moss Flora of North America North of Mexico. 3 vols. Published by the author. Newfane, Vermont.

Norris, D.H. & J.R. Shevock. 2004a. Contributions toward a bryoflora of California: I. A specimen-based catalogue of mosses. Madroño 51: 1-131.

______& ______. 2004b. Contributions toward a bryoflora of California: II. A key to the mosses. Madroño 51: 133-269.

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

Shevock, J.R. 2004. Personal communication with John Christy.

______& D. Toren. 2001. A catalog of mosses for the city and county of San Francisco, California. Madroño 48: 1-16.

Stark, L.R. 1980. Triquetrella in North America. Bryologist 83: 363-364.

Zander, R.H. 1980. Acid-base color reactions: the status of Triquetrella ferruginea, Barbula inaequalifolia and B. calcarea. Bryologist 83: 228--233.

______. 2002. Triquetrella. Version 1. Bryophyte Flora of North America, Provisional Publication, Missouri Botanical Garden. http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/bfna/v1/PottTriquetrella.htm

3 Attachment 1 – Photos

All photos by J. Harpel, under contract with the Oregon/Washington Bureau of Land Management.

Alar and basal cells Upper medial cells

4 Leaf cross section (1)

Leaf cross section (2)

Leaf Leaf apex

Stem cross section Wet individual

6 Whole mount dry

Whole mount wet