Blepharostoma

Scientific name

Blepharostoma (Dumort.) Dumort.

Common names

hairy threadwort, spidery threadwort

Family

Pseudolepicoleaceae

Similar genera

Didymoglossum, Lomariopsis (Süßwassertang), Jungermannia, Riccardia

Native distribution

Blepharostoma arachnoideum M. Howe is endemicendemic:
(adj) restricted to a certain geographical location
to western North America

B. minus Horik. is endemicendemic:
(adj) restricted to a certain geographical location
to eastern Asia

B. trichophyllum (L.) Dumort. is circumboreal

Species cultivated

Blepharostoma trichophyllum (L.) Dumort.

Adventive distribution

none

Weed status

information not available

Habit

creeping liverwort of scattered stems or interwoven mats

Brief description

Perennial. The gametophytegametophyte:
(n) the gamete-producing haploid phase in the plant life cycle; in some lower vascular plants it is multicellular and independent
forms a mat of creeping, green, feather-like stems. Stem branching frequently with light brown or white rootlets from the base of under-leaves. Leaves alternatealternate:
(adj) (of leaves) bearing one leaf per node; placed singly on the stem at different heights
, divided into 2 to 4 capillarycapillary:
(adj) slender, hair-like
segments; under-leaves similar but often with fewer lobes. Spore-producing generation (sporophyte) emersedemersed:
see emergent
. Gemmae often present toward the stem apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
of emersedemersed:
see emergent
plants.

Natural habitat

mesic habitats, moist earth, calcareous rock (along streams or in open areas) and decaying wood