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Bryophyte Bonanza 2024!

Bryophyte Bonanza 2024!

by Don BurkPosted onBotany
Dendroalsia abietina. D. Burk.
Dendroalsia abietina, a feathery moss growing in abundance on the bark of black oaks at Waters Gulch. This is the back side of the branched stem, showing the young capsules. Photo taken on Waters Gulch Trail on February 16, 2024, by Don Burk.

The Shasta Chapter hosted a wildly successful bryophyte blitz on February 15 and 16, 2024, led by Shasta Chapter CNPS member Scot Loring (also a member of the Bryophyte Chapter, the first state-wide chapter of CNPS).  

The event began on Thursday afternoon, when we commandeered Susannah Fulton’s Shasta College botany lab.  The captive class of students was augmented by a number of Chapter members, filling the room to capacity.  Scot provided a PowerPoint presentation with an overview of the mosses, liverworts, and hornworts; their life cycle, evolution, and relationships, and key distinguishing features.  The talk was mixed with hands-on lab work to demonstrate some of the features and structures being discussed.

Botany lab. D. Burk.
Half the botany lab, with Scot on the far left getting ready to demonstrate how mosses can quickly unfurl and become active when water is available.
Photo taken by Don Burk at Shasta College on February 15, 2024.

Thursday evening featured a casual dinner and social gathering at Final Draft, followed by a lightly attended evening presentation.  However, over 16 bryo-enthusiasts showed up for the Friday field trip at Waters Gulch, including a number of Shasta Collegians.  

Hikers at Waters Gulch. D. Burk.
A portion of the field crew, with Scot (facing camera) discussing the morphology of Dendroalsia abietina. Photo taken on Waters Gulch Trail by Don Burk on February 16, 2024.

We were introduced to a mind-boggling number of mosses and liverworts during our field trip, and also took time out to admire three types of jelly fungi and a variety of mushrooms.  

Polytrichum juniperinum, Grimmia sp., Bryum sp., a lichen, and Racomitrium. D. Burk.
Bunches of bryophytes! Clockwise from left are Polytrichum juniperinum, with its loose tufts resembling little juniper trees; Grimmia sp., which grows in dense, cushion-like clumps; Bryum sp., with its typical recurved capsules; a lichen – which is not a bryophyte at all – consisting of Cladonia squammules; and Racomitrium sp., which typically forms large mats on exposed rocks. Photo taken on Waters Gulch Trail on February 16, 2024, by Don Burk. Artistic display by Brooke Thompson.
Porella cordaeana. D. Burk.
Porella cordaeana, a leafy liverwort. Leafy liverworts have leaves arranged in two or three rows, while the leaves in mosses are spirally arranged.
Photo taken on Waters Gulch Trail on February 16, 2024, by Don Burk.
Exidia candida. D. Burk.
Exidia candida, a white jelly fungus. Photo taken on Waters Gulch Trail on February 16, 2024, by Don Burk.

And a huge thanks to Scot Loring for spearheading this event, and to Susannah Fulton and Shasta College for their support and use of the botany lab! ~Don Burk