Menzies' tree moss, leucolepis umbrella moss, palm tree moss • Leucolepis acanthoneuron, L. menziesii
{Leucolepis = reference to this moss' white; scaly stem leaves, acanthoneuron = spiny nerve, likely to do with the midrib}
Menzies' tree moss growing on decomposing wood. Photos by Ian Cruickshank (bottom left), Gillian Harvey (top right) and Elizabeth Bailey.
Identification
This light green moss is shaped like a palm tree or an umbrella. The upright stem ('tree trunk') grows 4-8 cm tall, and bears a crown of branches at its tip. The leaves on these branches are 1.5-2 mm long. The tree-shape of this moss narrows identification down to only a few candidates, but if necessary the leaves can also provide some identifying characteristics. The branch leaves of Menzies' tree moss are lance-shaped, with very toothed edges and pointed ends. The leaves have a border of elongated cells that contrasts with the rest of cells, which are hexagonal in shape. The stem bears white, triangular, scale-like leaves. Sporophytes are common - they grow from the tip of the stem, and have long slender stalks, with nodding egg-shaped or cylindrical capsules.
Click here for a more detailed description and helpful illustrations.
Habitat & Range
Menzies' tree moss grows most commonly in damp or wet, shaded areas with rich soil, though it also grows on decomposing wood, soil-covered rock, and occasionally on the lower trunks of live trees (particularly bigleaf maple). It is a common species in damp, low-elevation rainforests, especially near flowing water.
Similar Species
Tree moss (Climacium dendroides) is a similarly tree-like species. Menzies' tree moss looks more like an umbrella or a palm tree when compared to the other tree moss, which looks more like a miniature coniferous tree. Tree moss' upright stems grow from a creeping horizontal stem, while Menzies' tree moss does not. Tree moss stem leaves are green, its branch leaves are less toothed and not bordered, and its sporophytes are uncommon and upright instead of nodding.
Human Uses
The Saanich First Nation on Vancouver Island made a yellow basket dye from this moss.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/120870-Leucolepis-acanthoneura
This light green moss is shaped like a palm tree or an umbrella. The upright stem ('tree trunk') grows 4-8 cm tall, and bears a crown of branches at its tip. The leaves on these branches are 1.5-2 mm long. The tree-shape of this moss narrows identification down to only a few candidates, but if necessary the leaves can also provide some identifying characteristics. The branch leaves of Menzies' tree moss are lance-shaped, with very toothed edges and pointed ends. The leaves have a border of elongated cells that contrasts with the rest of cells, which are hexagonal in shape. The stem bears white, triangular, scale-like leaves. Sporophytes are common - they grow from the tip of the stem, and have long slender stalks, with nodding egg-shaped or cylindrical capsules.
Click here for a more detailed description and helpful illustrations.
Habitat & Range
Menzies' tree moss grows most commonly in damp or wet, shaded areas with rich soil, though it also grows on decomposing wood, soil-covered rock, and occasionally on the lower trunks of live trees (particularly bigleaf maple). It is a common species in damp, low-elevation rainforests, especially near flowing water.
Similar Species
Tree moss (Climacium dendroides) is a similarly tree-like species. Menzies' tree moss looks more like an umbrella or a palm tree when compared to the other tree moss, which looks more like a miniature coniferous tree. Tree moss' upright stems grow from a creeping horizontal stem, while Menzies' tree moss does not. Tree moss stem leaves are green, its branch leaves are less toothed and not bordered, and its sporophytes are uncommon and upright instead of nodding.
Human Uses
The Saanich First Nation on Vancouver Island made a yellow basket dye from this moss.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/120870-Leucolepis-acanthoneura
References
Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A. (1994). Plants of Coastal British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine Publishing. P. 459.
Schofield, W. Leucolepis acanthoneuron (Schwafsaegr.) Lindb. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 29/08/2013.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2013).
Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A. (1994). Plants of Coastal British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine Publishing. P. 459.
Schofield, W. Leucolepis acanthoneuron (Schwafsaegr.) Lindb. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 29/08/2013.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2013).