Guide to Liverworts of Oregon: Radula obtusiloba Steph. ssp.polyclada (Evans) Hatt.
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Radula 1a microphyllous branchlets present > Radula 3a leaf keel bulging > Radula obtusifolia
Synonym: None.
Special Status: ORBIC List 2.
Recognition: The regular production of microphyllous branchlets are distinctive for this species and R. brunnea. The latter is known only from Saddle Mountain and not likely to turn up elsewhere; it is dark brown and has a straight keel in crontast to the light green color and bulging leaf keel of R. obtusiloba. Radula obtusiloba is distinct from all others of the genus in having several, clear oil bodies per cell. All the other have only a solitary, brown oil body in each cell.
Distribution: On rock or bark; in Oregon known with certainty only from Saddle Mountain (Schofield & Godfrey 1979).
Comments: Aside from Saddle Mountaiin, there are several reports of this species from Oregon but none of these have been verified. The records of Hong (1979) are based on misidentifications; the suspect records are actually R. bolanderi with numerous subfloral microphyllous innovations.
Leafy shoot. Sitka, Alaska. D.H. Wagner m2771.
North Cascades, Washington. Martin Hutten.
Oil bodies. Sitka, Alaska. D.H. Wagner m2771.