SPECIES FACT SHEET
Common Name: Trumpet bottlewort
Scientific Name: Sphaerocarpos hians Haynes
Division: Marchantiophyta (incorrectly called Hepatophyta in U.S.
government taxon databases (e.g., ITIS 2008); see Stotler and CrandallStotler 2008)
Class: Marchantiopsida
Order: Sphaerocarpales
Family: Sphaerocarpaceae
Technical Description: Plants forming small whitish-green rosettes,
fragile and translucent, up to 8 mm in diameter. Plants are unisexual,
the male plants much smaller than the female and rarely observed. The
inflated female (archegonial) involucres hiding a small thallus-like axis
with ruffled lobe-like leaves at margins, the leaves rounded distally,
margins crisped and ascending. Archegonial involucres conspicuous,
bottle- or flask-shaped, 1-2 mm high, flaring open at the mouth, some
partially hidden by the ruffled thallus, appearing in late summer or fall.
Antheridial involucres much less conspicuous, 0.2-0.4 mm. Capsules
form inside the archegonial involucres but are not visible without
dissection. Distinctive characters: (1) Whitish-green, ruffled, roundish
rosettes less than 1 cm in diameter, (2) with a flaring mouth on the
archegonial involucres, (3) on bare mud flats along creeks and lakes at
low water, (4) fruiting in late summer or fall. Similar species:
Sphaerocarpos texanus, the only other Sphaerocarpos in Oregon and
Washington, (1) has flasks contracted at the mouth, with a pore-like
opening much smaller than the diameter of the involucre, (2) occurs on
open, disturbed ground such as old fields, vacant lots, and construction
sites, and (3) fruits in later winter and early spring. Other descriptions
and illustrations: Haynes and Howe 1923: 4; Frye and Clark 1937: 106;
Christy and Wagner 1996: V-55; Timme 2003.
Life History: Details for Sphaerocarpos hians are not documented. It is a
seasonal ephemeral species, fruiting at the few known sites in late
summer or fall when water levels are low and mud flats exposed. Plants
mature quickly, fruit, and disappear. Spores are released by decay of the
capsule and are possibly disseminated by water, wading birds, and
waterfowl. Sphaerocarpos competes poorly with vascular plants and
populations disappear as succession proceeds.
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Range, Distribution, and Abundance: Endemic to northwestern North
America. For decades known only from two sites on either side of the
Idaho-Washington border (Moscow and Pullman), and found at Corvallis,
Oregon in 1991. It was first collected in Washington in 1894. More
recently reported from northern Idaho and western Montana.
The widely disjunctive range of Sphaerocarpos hians is puzzling. Its range
suggests an early origin in the upper Columbia River basin, distributed
down stream following the Bretz Floods (Wagner 2010, unpublished). It is
not likely to be noticed unless someone is specifically looking for
ephemeral liverworts. It is unknown how spores are transported, but
water or birds could account for the known distribution.
National Forests: none documented; suspected on the Columbia River
Gorge National Scenic Area. BLM Districts: none documented; suspected
on the Salem and Eugene districts in suitable floodplain tracts in lowelevation interior valleys of western Oregon.
Extremely rare but possibly undercollected because of its inconspicuous
nature.
Habitat Associations: Forming whitish-green, ruffled, roundish rosettes
on mud flats along creeks. It may also occur in low-elevation mudflats
such as those along seasonal lakes and reservoirs in late summmer.
Elevation at the Idaho and Washington sites is about 2500 feet, while
that in Oregon is about 250 feet. Forest types in Oregon include
Pseudotsuga menziesii, Fraxinus latifolia, and Quercus garryana
associations.
Threats: Instream aggregate mining (Castro and Cluer 2003),
overcollecting, and elimination of mudflat habitat though perennial
flooding or permanent drainage are the primary threats. Channelizing of
stream beds in urban areas may destroy suitable habitats. Trampling
and churning of mud habitat by livestock is a potential threat. Climate
change could alter hydrology of some streams and thus eliminate
habitat.
Conservation Considerations: Surveys in western Oregon valley habitat
and the Columbia River Gorge, and management of known sites are a
priority.
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Conservation rankings: Global: G1; National: N1. Oregon: S1, List 1;
Idaho: S1; Washington SNR. Washington has not yet compiled a working
list of rare liverworts.
Preparer: John A. Christy.
Date Completed: June 2006.
Revised May 2007 with edits from Rob Huff, Russ Holmes, and Daphne Stone.
Revised May 2010 by David Wagner (Scientific Name, Technical description,
Range, Distribution, and Abundance, and Threats Revised. Photo attached).
ATTACHMENTS:
(1) Photos
References
Castro, J & B. Cluer. 2003. Instream aggregate mining issues in Oregon.
External review draft. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland. 29 pp.
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.
Frye, T.C. & L. Clark. 1937. Hepaticae of North America. Volume 1.
University of Washington Publications in Biology 6: 1-162.
Haynes, C.C. & M.A. Howe. 1923. Sphaerocarpaceae. North American
Flora 14: 3-6.
Idaho Conservation Data Center. 2006. Idaho's Special Status
Nonvascular Plants. Idaho Fish and Game.
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cdc/plants/nonvascular_plants_status
.cfm
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
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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Timme, S.L. 2003. Sphaerocarpaceae. Version 1. Bryophyte Flora of
North America, Provisional Publication, Missouri Botanical Garden.
http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/bfna/V3/SphaSphaerocarpacea
e.htm
Attachment 1 – Photos
Sphaerocarpos hians, female plant. Photo by David Wagner.
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