Guide to Liverworts of Oregon: Nardia scalaris S.F. Gray
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Nardia 1b more than 1 oil body per cell > Nardia 2a oil bodies glistening > Nardia 3a leaves entire > Nardia scalaris
Synonym: None.
Special Status: None.
Recognition: The combination of 1) well developed, lanceolate underleaves, 2) round leaves, and 3) glistening oil bodies is diagnostic for this species. If underleaves are not noticed, a specimen could be mistaken for a species of Jungermannia or Solenostoma.
Distribution: Grows on soil and on rocky ledges in moist sites. From sea level to high elevations; widespread but not common. Not positively known from eastern Oregon. After re-examining specimens on which earlier reports were based, Doyle and Stotler (2006) concluded that no authentic records exist of this species from California.
Comments: The oil bodies of this species are a good example of "glistening." The term is used for oil bodies which are clear, colorless and highly refractive. They look more like oil droplets than any other type of oil body. I have found stray shoots of Nardia scalaris mixed in a colony of Jungermannia rubra and failed to notice their underleaves. I misidentified them until the oil bodies were observed.
Jefferson Co., Washington. DHW m1116.
Cells with oil bodies. Jefferson Co., Washington. DHW m1116.
Tick mark indicates underleaf. Horsepasture Ridge, Lane Co., Oregon. DHW m1991.
Yahats, Lincoln Co., Oregon. DHW m1991.
Yahats, Lincoln Co., Oregon. DHW m3160.
Yahats, Lincoln Co., Oregon. DHW m3160.
Nardia scalaris - Mature leaf showing enlarged marginal cells. Yachats, Lincoln Co., Oregon. DHW m2808a
Nardia scalaris - Small leaf with undifferentiated margin. Yachats, Lincoln Co., Oregon. DHW m2808a
Nardia scalaris - Oil bodies in midleaf cells (out of 59 cells, 54 have 2 oil bodies, 4 have 3 oil bodies and 1 has 1 oil body). Yachats, Lincoln Co., Oregon. DHW m2808a
Nardia scalaris - Oil bodies in cells near base of leaf. Yachats, Lincoln Co., Oregon. DHW m2808a
Nardia scalaris - Marginal cells. Yachats, Lincoln Co., Oregon. DHW m2808a