SPECIES FACT SHEET
Common Name: Great mountain flapwort (Edwards 2003)
Scientific Name: Harpanthus flotovianus (Nees) Nees
Division: Marchantiophyta (incorrectly called Hepatophyta in U.S. government
taxon databases (e.g., ITIS 2008); see Stotler and Crandall-Stotler 2008)
Class: Jungermanniopsida
Order: Jungermanniales
Family: Geocalycaceae
Technical Description: Dioicous. Shoots flaccid, 2-10 cm long, about 1.5 mm
wide, pale green to more often brownish olive green, seldom pure green,
somewhat shiny. Stem procumbent to ascending, sparsely branched, rhizoids
numerous and long. Leaves rather distant, very obliquely, almost longitudinally
inserted, horizontally spreading, reflexed, long decurrent, asymmetrically ovoid,
sinus shallowly lunate, lobes obtuse and not sharply pointed. Marginal cells 20
µm, in the center of the leaves about 30 µm, walls colorless, somewhat
thickened, trigones +/- large. Oil-bodies 3-4 per cell, spherical oval, about 4
µm, brownish, granular. Underleaves of the same width or somewhat narrower
than the stem, to 0.5 mm long, of varying shape, mostly longly and narrowly
pointed from an ovoid base, somewhat spreading from the stem, apex incurved,
margin entire or somewhat dentate. Female bracts small, in 2-3 pairs, 2-3
lobed, lobes mostly acute. Perianth large, to 3 mm long, cylindrical, slightly
curved, apex deeply lobed, wall of the base several cells thick. Spores 12-14
µm, elaters 12 µm wide. Antheridia globose, frequently in pairs, bracts 2-lobed,
small, concave (after Arnell 1981, with slight modification). Gemmae unknown
or (in British Isles) occasional (Paton 1999).
Distinctive Characters: Recognized in the field by regularly bilobed leaves,
which have a peculiar asymmetry that is difficult to describe but easily
recognized once observed and learned. The shallow sinus rounded-obtuse lobe
tips are distinctive. Prominent, lanceolate underleaves are present on all
shoots. The underleaves usually have teeth or cilia on the margin.
Similar species: "Only likely to be mistaken for a Lophocolea, Chiloscyphus
polyanthos or a large Leiocolea [a section of Lophozia ] from all of which it
differs in underleaf shape" (Smith 1990). Also similar to Geocalyx, which has
bifid underleaves and is a soft, fleshy green while Harpanthus is usually a more
brownish green. In our area Geocalyx is found only at lower elevations, below
1000 m (ca. 3000 feet), while Harpanthus is a montane species generally found
above 1500 m (5000 feet).
Life History: Published studies of life history traits in this species are not
known. Fertile plants are unknown in the Pacific Northwest (Schofield 2002)
and are rare in the British Isles (Smith 1990). The paucity of sexual
reproduction and lack of gemmae undoubtedly contributes to the rarity in this
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region. The species is perennial and should be identifiable throughout the year.
Establishment in favorable microhabitats is most likely stochastic events, not
amenable to statistical prediction.
Range, Distribution, and Abundance: Widespread around the northern
hemisphere in boreal and montane regions. In western North America reaching
the southern edge of its range in Oregon. Somewhat more common northwards,
rare in Oregon, where found in Gold Lake Bog, Lane County; Seven Mile
Marsh, Klamath County; and near Anthony Lakes, Union County.
ORNHIC listed in Klamath County. (Does not include the newly documented
site in Grant County).
Hong (1993) maps four sites in Washington State without specifying localities;
three appear to be in the Cascade Mountains and one (probably misplaced) is
in central Washington close to Grand Coulee Dam. Fulford (1936) mentions
two collectons from Mt. Rainier, Lewis County, Washington. Reported from six
sites in the Olympic Peninsula (Hutten, et al. 2005), all above 1000 m.
BLM: Suspected in the Klamath Falls Resource Area.
USFS: Documented in Fremont-Winema, Umatilla, Wallowa-Whitman,
and Willamette National Forests. Suspected in Deschutes, Mt. Hood,
Rogue River-Siskiyou, and Umpqua National Forests. Suspected,
possibly present in Mt. Baker Snoqualmie and Gifford-Pinchot National
Forests (based on dots on map in Hong 1993), suspected in Okanogan,
Olympic, and Wenatchee National Forests in Washington State.
Habitat Associations: A bog and fen species, in Oregon associated with such
genera as Warnstorfia, Drepanocladus, Tomenthypnum, and Meesia. According
to Hong (1993), it "occurs on moist humus, soil covered rocks, and decaing
wood in forsts and is frequently associated with Cephalozia bicuspidata and
Scapania undulata."
Threats: Habitat disturbance which changes wetland hydrology could affect
this species.
Conservation Considerations: The central management issue with
Harpanthus is, as with many rare liverworts, preventing disturbance to
wetlands and stream margins. Keeping trails and other recreation
developments away is important. High montane wetlands and streamsides
remain poorly explored. Much suitable habitat is in wilderness areas which
require considerable effort to reach. It is possible that further inventory work in
these habitats will reveal a series of populations extending down the Cascades,
in sufficient quantity that formal protection may be dropped. The Klamath
County record appears to be the southernmost record; it is not found in
California (Doyle 2006).
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Conservation Rankings and Status:
Global: G5; Oregon: S1
ORNHIC List 3
Washington: Not ranked
BLM/USFS Strategic species in Oregon
Other pertinent information:
Surveys and Survey Protocol: Focus on montane wetlands in subalpine zone.
Key to Identification of the Species: Christy and Wagner 1996.
Preparer: David H. Wagner
Edited by: Rob Huff
Date Completed: October, 2008
Revised by: Rob Huff, March 2008
(Revision only includes the addition of the Umatilla National Forest as a
documented part of the known range of the species).
Updated in May 2009 by Candace Fallon (Update added Attachment 1, Photos,
to the Species Fact Sheet).
ATTACHMENTS:
(1)
Photos
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 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.
Edwards, S.R. 2003. English Names for British Bryophytes. Third Edition.
British Bryological Society Special Volume No. 5.
Fulford, M. 1936. Some Hepaticas from Washington, Oregon and Idaho
collected by Dr. Arthur Svihla. The Bryologist 39: 105-111.
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Hong, W.S. 1993. The family Geocalycaceae (Hepaticae) in North America, west
of the hundredth meridian. The Bryologist 96: 592-597.
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. 626 pp.
Schofield, W. 2002. Field Guide to Liverwort Genera of Pacific North America.
University of Washington Press, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
Smith, A.J.E. 1990. The Liverworts of Britain and Ireland. Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge, England.
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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Attachment 1 – Photos
All photos by Dr. David Wagner, under contract with the Oregon/Washington Bureau of Land
Management.
Shoot ventral
Leaf
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Leaf apex
Cells with oil-bodies
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