Specimen #5 Brachythecium rutabulum Moss Sample

Figure 1: Branchythecium rutabulum under
the dissecting scope

Figure 2: Shows how closely placed the leaves
and the branching of the stems

Name: Brachythecium rutabulum
Common Name: Feather Moss
Family: Brachytheciaceae
Collected Date: 9/8/16
Habitat: Mostly found in moist areas such as soil, rocks, rotting logs, or on tree trunks bases. Can be found in shade or forest areas.
Location: Nelsons Ledges 
Description:Shaggy, with creeping arching stems and upright branches divide irregularly and have bright green and yellow tint to them. Leaves are closely spaced and spreading at different angles from the stem.
Key Used: Karl B Mcknight, Joseph R Rohrer, Kirsten Mcknight Ward, and Warren J. Perdrizet. 2013. Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians
Keying Steps:
Step 1: The sample was identified as pleurocarpus 
Step 2: Sickled shaped leaves with no midrib
Step 3: It was found in a forest area in a moist environment
Step 4: The leaves are packed tight closely to the stem with no arranged style
Step 5: the leaves had curves in them at the top but not in a ringlet shape
Step 6: Shoots were found to be tightly braided to each other

There were a lot of different specimens this could have represent but I feel this is the best representation. Based on the color, how tightly placed the leaves are and have no arrange style, very long and the local where I found this sample is a clear indicator it represents Brachythecium rutabulum.

Specimen #4 Leucibryn Glaucum

Figure 1: Cushion Moss Leaf. Magnification
at 4x. As you can see there is no midrib
present.

Figure 2: Magnification of the cushion moss at
10x. Shows the color very well and the shape
of the leafs. you can really tell how long they
can get through this magnification. 

Name:  Leucobryn Glaucum
Common Name: White Cushion Moss
Family: Leucobryaceae
Collected Date: 9/8/16
Habitat:Grows in moist woods or marshes. Basically anywhere there is shade and water. White cushion moss can be found growing on soil, rotted logs based off of living or dead tree trunks or rock ledges.
Location: Nelsons Ledges
Description: Can be white, grayish, or bluish-green and can grow to be about 1-3 inches tall. they usually grow in big clumps or balls. They do not have roots or flowers. Since they do not have roots they absorb water up through its leaves like a sponge. They have spore stalks that are known as their reproductive structures. 
Key Used:Karl B Mcknight, Joseph R Rohrer, Kirsten Mcknight Ward, and Warren J. Perdrizet. 2013. Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians.
Keying Steps:
Step 1: I identified this particular sample as Arocarp
Step 2: There was no midrib present and the leaf was lanced
Step 3: The color of the sample played a major role in the identification of this specimen. These colors were white and a palish blue-green
Step 4: Do not contain capsules

From this information I can conclude that the sample moss present was Leucobryn Glaucum. The main identifiers that support this is how they were clumped together, had a white and palish blue-green look to it, was about 1-3 inches tall and there was no midrib present in the leaf.

Leucobryn Glaucum Links:
http://www2.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/white_cushion_moss.htm

Specimen #3 Schistidium apocarpum, Moss

Figure 1: Schistidium apocarpum dried up. Colors are very
dark green and rusty brown.

Figure 2: Schistidium apocarpum when wet the sprout and have
a more lime green color to them

Figure 3: Shows the midrib in the center of the
leaf. Very visible.

Figure 4: If you look closely you are able to see
the tooth-like structures on the outside of the
leaf. Big identifier as what type of moss it is.

Name: Schistidium

Common Name: Prickly Cannikin Moss 

Family: Grimmiaceae 

Collected Date: 9/8/16

Habitat: Dry rocks, often found in areas with canopy cover. 

Location: Nelsons Ledges 

Description: Grows in patches over rocks mainly. When dry it has a dark brown and green color to it. When wet the leaves are lime green with translucent tips. 

Key Used: Karl B Mcknight, Joseph R Rohrer, Kirsten Mcknight Ward, and Warren J. Perdrizet. 2013. Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians. 

Keying Steps:

Step 1: Noticed plant was dark green/rusty brown. Shoots were loosely associated and densely packed. Leaves not packed and there is a midrib visible. 

Step 2: Plant found on soil, rocks, or logs in dry areas.

Step 3: Leaf surface rippled or wavy when wet

Step 4: leaf midrib conspicuous to leaf tip

Step 5: Midrib fills greater than 1/4 width of upper leaf

Step 6: Outer leaves have sharp like teeth that are transparent

There are lots of different samples that matched but what really gave me the idea of it being Schistidium apocarpum was the tooth-like structures on the leafs. These tooth-like structures are transparent and are found on each leaf. They also have midribs. 

Specimen #2 Marchantia polymorpha 

Figure 1: Marchantia polymorpha 

Figure 2: Up close look at the pores of this
liverwort. 

Name: Marchantia polymorpha 

Common Name: Umbrella Liverwort 

Family: Marchantiaceae 

Collected Date: 9/29/16

Habitat: Grows in moist soil and on rocks in damp habitats. Found on banks of streams, pools, bogs, and fens. Moist environment is the key place. 

Location: South Chagrin Reservation 

Description: Brown and green in color. Flattened thalli with forked branches. The underside is covered by many rhizoids which attach the plant to the soil. They can produce umbrella like reproductive structures known as gametophore.

Key Used: Conard, H.S. and P.L. Redfearn, Jr. 1979. How to Know the Mosses and Liverworts 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, Boston, Mass.

Keying Steps:

Step 1: Saw airpores were visible

Step 2: The capsules on underside had spirally banned elaters 

Step 3: The thalli had open or half cops of gemmae on the thallus

Step 4. Saw that there was archegonia on the underside 

Step 5: Saw that there was a very few long-fingered umbrella like structures which are known as the reproductive structures.

Step 6: Fringed female cups lead me to step #7

Step 7: They generally have thalli with thin scale along the margin beneath which lead me to step #8

Step #8: The thallus was about 1 cm in width

Step #9: There were no sclerenchymatous cells present 

Step #10: The gemmae cups were lined with surface papillae which lead me to the page that represented the liverwort specie Marchantia polymorpha.

Even though there were not any reproductive structures present (umbrellas) I still believe this is the correct identified liverwort. If you look the color of the liverwort and the shape of the leaves give direct evidence that it could be the Marchantia polymorphia. Also, there were rhizoids present which attach them to the sediment and when I picked up this particular sample there were rhizoids (root-like structures) present, 

Specimen #1 Metzgeria furcata, Liverwort

Figure 1: Metzgeria furcata 

Figure 2: Metzgeria furcata at a closer look.

Figure 3: Image showing Metzgeria furcata
midrib and thallus close up under the microscope
magnification 4x

Name: Metzgeria furcata Dum.
Common Name: Forked Veilwort
Family: Metzgeriaceae
Collected Date: 9/27/16
Habitat: They grow on bark of many different tree and shrub species. they can often be found on rocks as well. they have a very slim body size with a translucent thallus. they often form yellow-green mats of branches about 1 mm wide.
Location: South Chagrin Reservation
Description: There is a midrib clearly visible. They have thick slim branches with a bumpy texture. Their colors range from brown, yellow-green, to green depending on what stage they are at.
Key Used:Conard, H.S. and P.L. Redfearn, Jr. 1979. How to Know the Mosses and Liverworts 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, Boston, Mass.

Keying Steps:
Step 1: Saw the thallus without hairs on upper surface
Step 2: Saw there was an underside of midrib 3-7 cells wide
Step 3: Saw marginal hairs in pairs, thallus 2 mm wide
Step 4: led me to the page with Metzgeria furcata which clearly demonstrates the specie I had
Liverwort Links:
http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=MEFU4
http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/bbs/Activities/liverworts/Metzgeria%20furcata.pdf