Guide to Liverworts of Oregon: Sphaerocarpos hians C. Haynes
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Sphaerocarpos 1b involucre mouth flaring > S. hians
Synonym: None.
Special Status: ORBIC List 1.
Recognition: Pale green rosettes up to 8 mm across, covered with flask like involucres which have a flaring mouth. Sphaerocarpos texanus has bulbous involucres with constricted mouthes while S. hians has urn shaped involucres with a flaring mouth.
Distribution: Grows on mud of river banks at low water line, late summer or fall. Along Marys River in Corvallis, Oregon; also SE Washington, N Idaho, and W Montana.
Comments: It appears to me that the distribution of this species was mediated by the Bretz Floods. My theory is that the species evolved on the east slope of the Rocky Mountains before the Pleistocene. As a riparian inhabitant, its spores circulated on the edge of rivers and floods. During the Ice Ages, the plants grew and spores spread around geological Lake Missoula. When the Bretz Floods released water from Lake Missoula and sent backwash up the Willamette River, spores of Sphaerocarpos hians were carried along.
Sphaerocarpos hians, Avery Park, Corvallis Benton Co., Oregon. DHW m1210
Sphaerocarpos hians, Avery Park, Corvallis Benton Co., Oregon. DHW m1210