SPECIES FACT SHEET
Common Name: Gillman's pawwort (Edwards 2003)
Scientific Name: Lophozia gillmanii (Aust.) Schust.
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: Jungermanniaceae
Taxonomic note: In some works this is treated as Leiocolea gillmannii (Aust.)
Evans (Smith 1990).
Technical Description: "Usually procumbent, 2–3 cm long and 2–3 mm wide,
in the lower parts red brown to almost black, in the upper part greenish yellow
to yellowish brown; rhizoids numerous, colorless or brownish. Leaves closely
overlapping; oblique to almost longitudinally inserted, erect to horizontally
spreading, generally only slightly asymmetrical, not very decurrent, more or
less broadly ovate, sometimes rectangular on young shoots, bilobed to 0.25 the
length of the leaf, sinus narrow and obtuse, lobes acute, sometimes pointed or
obtuse and rounded, generally of equal size. Marginal cells 25–36 µm, towards
the base larger, 35–40 X 35–50 µm, mostly with large trigones; cuticle striatepapillose, surface ornamentation most conspicuous towards the base of the
leaf. Underleaves small, consistently present, 2–4 cells wide at the base and
gradually narrowing upwards, seldom with basal teeth. Paroicous, female
bracts transversely inserted, frequently with narrow, gibbous sinus and long,
pointed lobes. Perianth short and wide, cylindrical or clavate, not plicate,
abruptly constricted to a rather long, ciliate beak. Gemmae absent." (from
Arnell 1981, with slight modification)
Distinctive characters: Liverworts with bilobed leaves and consistent
presence of small underleaves, absence of gemmae, paroicous fertile shoots,
and perianths with a relatively long beak. The strongly striate-papillose leaf
cells stand out as a distinctive character of sterile plants but identifying sterile
plants must be done with great caution.
Similar species: Other species of Lophozia with bilobed leaves are dioicous,
lack underleaves on all shoots, have gemmae, or have a beakless perianth.
"Attempts to determine non-fertile material as L. gillmannii are to be
discouraged because this species is so variable in size, leaf shape, and cell
size."... "Generally it is usual for inflorescences to develop more frequently on
monoicous than on dioicous species so that non-fertile populations are more
likely to be referable to dioicous species." (Paton 1999)
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Life History: Published studies of life history traits in this species have not
been located. The plants are perennial and should be recognizable at all times
of the year. Plants like this species, which grow at high elevations where snow
lies late, generally above 1500 m (5000 ft), may have a short growing season
that coincides with late summer and fall. The lack of gemmae in this species
indicates dispersal is primarily by spores.
Range, Distribution, and Abundance: Widespread around the northern
hemisphere in boreal and montane regions, in western North America south to
Tulare County, California (Doyle and Stotler 2006). In Oregon found with
certainty only at Goodrich Lake, Baker County and Haiku Meadow, Grant
County. Frye and Clark (1935) report it from Oregon without specimen
citation, as does Schuster (1969); Hong (1978) lists this in Oregon based on the
Frye and Clark report.
ORNHIC listed in Baker County (does not include newly discovered site in
Grant County).
BLM: Suspected in Salem, Burns, and Vale (Oregon) Districts.
USFS: Documented in Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.
Suspected by Mt. Hood, Umpqua, Deschutes, Fremont-Winema, and
Malheur National Forests.
Habitat Associations: Found on peaty soil, usually associated with cliffs or
ledges. It is an obligate calciphile (Schuster 1969); in Baker County the locality
is on the limestone of the southern end of Elkhorn Ridge. The Umatilla
National Forest site is located in a small wet subalpine meadow and
surrounding forest edge and granite cirque at approximately 6500’.
Threats: Trail building or similar disturbance might damage populations in the
montane habitats where this species occurs. The Baker County site is in the
Baker City Watershed and off limits to the public.
Conservation Considerations: As exploration continues in likely habitats new
populations of this species are likely to be discovered. Monitor and manage
sites to prevent damage to the habitat.
Conservation Rankings and Status:
Global: G5; Oregon: S1
ORNHIC List 3
Washington: Not ranked
BLM/USFS Strategic Species in Oregon
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Other pertinent information:
Surveys and Survey Protocol: Search on peaty cliff ledges in boreal-alpine
habitats.
Key to Identification of the Species: Christy and Wagner 1996; Doyle and
Stotler 2006.
Preparer: David H. Wagner
Edited by: Rob Huff
Date Completed: January, 2009
Revision by: Rob Huff, March 2009
(Revision only includes documentation regarding the newly discovered site on
the Umatilla National Forest).
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.
Doyle, W. T. & R.E. Stotler. 2006. Contributions toward a bryoflora of
California III. Keys and annotated species catalogue for liverworts and
hornworts. Madroño 53: 89-197.
Edwards, S.R. 2003. English Names for British Bryophytes. Third Edition.
British Bryological Society Special Volume No. 5.
ITIS. 2008. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (official government
database of scientific names)
http://www.itis.gov/index.html
Accessed August 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.
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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.
Schuster, R.M. 1969. The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America.
Volume II. 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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Attachment 1 – Photos
All photos by Dr. David Wagner, under contract with the Oregon/Washington Bureau of Land
Management.
Shoot
Leaf
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Basal cells with oil-bodies
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