Guide to Liverworts of Oregon: Cephaloziella elachista (Jack) Schiffn.
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Synonym: none
Special Status: none
Recognition: Distinguished from C. spinigera by more slender leaf lobes, more and sharper teeth, larger leaf cells, and thinner cell walls. Stray strands of sterile material of this may not be easily separated from C. spinigera (Paton 1999).
Distribution: In Sphagnum bogs, growing as strands embedded in and over mats of Sphagnum. Reported from Washington, British Columbia, and Alberta.
Comments: Occurrence in Oregon was reported in an earlier version of this Guide from a presumed discovery of authentic material in 2014 (D. Stone 9070). That specimen was subsequently redetermined to be C. spinigera, under which illustrations of it may be seen.
Cephaloziella elachista may well be widespread, as it is usually found only by people who consciously look for it. Few montane bogs have been explored in the Oregon mountains where it is likely to occur. In addition to the Cascades, it is likely to turn up in the Blue Mountains and Wallowa Mountains.
Cephaloziella elachista is largely restricted to Sphagnum bogs, where it is nearly ubiquitous in tundra ecosystems from Alaska across Canada. Cephaloziella spinigera occurs regularly in the same habitats but its distribution extends further southwards into wetlands which are not dominated by Sphagnum.
Cephaloziella elachista. Two normal shoots. Clearwater River Valley, British Columbia, Canada. DHW m2911.
Cephaloziella elachista. A typical leaf. Clearwater River Valley, British Columbia, Canada. DHW m2911.
Cephaloziella elachista. A typical leaf. Clearwater River Valley, British Columbia, Canada. DHW m2911.
Cephaloziella elachista. Gemma bearing shoot tip with reduced, gemmiferous leaves. Clearwater River Valley, British Columbia, Canada. DHW m2911.