Forsstroemia trichomitria

Forsstroemia trichomitria is an epiphytic moss occurring in cool, humid forest understories on rocks or on the boles of hardwood and evergreen trees of Mexico, South America, east Asia, east Australia, and eastern North America. There are over 300 occurrences of this species, which are potentially threatened by habitat loss due to agricultural encroachment, inappropriate forestry practices (including thinning, logging, and replanting with nonnative species), air pollution, and invasive plants. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and high number of occurrences, Forsstroemia trichomitria is considered secure.

Forsstroemia trichomitria is a wide-ranging species, occurring in Mexico, South America, east Asia, east Australia, and eastern North America (FNA 2014). In North America, it occurs from Quebec, south to Florida, east to Texas, and north through Wisconsin and Ontario in the United States and Canada (FNA 2014, NatureServe 2024). Range extent was estimated to be over 200 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1993 and 2024 (CBH 2024, GBIF 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are more than 300 occurrences rangewide (CBH 2024, GBIF 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).

Threats to Forsstroemia trichomitria are largely unknown, but this species prefers shaded, relatively humid understory habitats and is therefore sensitive to changes in forest structure resulting in impacts to light and humidity levels . Potential threats to bryophytes occurring in forests include habitat loss due to agricultural encroachment, inappropriate forestry practices (including thinning, logging, and replanting with nonnative species), air pollution, and invasive plants (Hallingbäck and Hodgetts 2000).