Guide to Liverworts of Oregon: Asterella lindenbergiana (Corda) Lindb.
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Asterella 1a sex organs on primary thallus Asterella 2b monoicous; spores <100μm > Asterella 3b spores brown or purple > Asterella 4a spore and elaters violet > Asterella lindenbergiana
Synonym: None.
Special status: None; but rarity should be noted.
Recognition: Violet spores and elaters are dramatically distinctive. The tuft of scales under the carpocephalum are purple, which will distinguish this from Mannia fragrans in Washington State (not yet known from Oregon). Otherwise, the Mannia is very similar in thallus structure with 4-5 concentric rings of cells around the pores.
Distribution: On soil; across the state at high elevations; reported by Frye and Clark (1937) from Ashland, Crater Lake, and Ice Lake in the Wallowa Mountains.
Comments: All the specimens cited by Frye and Clark should be re-examined to be sure they are accurately identified.
Mesa Creek Meadows, Lane Co., Oregon. DHW
Sept. 1993
Darrington District, Washington. USFS 1919. Cross section of thallus.
Darrington District, Washington. USFS 1919. Pore in upper epidermis of thallus.
Darrington District, Washington. USFS 1919. Cross section of pore in upper epidermis.
Linton Meadows, Lane Co., Oregon. DHW
m0846