Cryptomitrium tenerum

(Hook.) Aust.

a liverwort

G4Apparently Secure Found in 7 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.125623
Element CodeNBHEP11010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryNonvascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumHepatophyta
ClassMarchantiopsida
OrderMarchantiales
FamilyAytoniaceae
GenusCryptomitrium
Concept Reference
Stotler, R. and B. Crandall-Stotler. 1977. A checklist of the liverworts and hornworts of North America. The Bryologist 80(3): 405-428.
Taxonomic Comments
The name applied to plants in Taiwan, Mannia subpilosa (Horik.) Horik. was determined to be a synonym of Cryptomitrium tenerum (Katagiri and Deguchi 2011, Wang et al. 2011).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2023-07-27
Change Date2004-04-19
Edition Date2023-07-27
Edition AuthorsNordman, C. (2023).
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Cryptomitrium tenerum is an amphitropical disjunctive species, which occurs in western North America, Central America, western South America, and Taiwan. It is estimated that there are between 81 and 300 occurrences of Cryptomitrium tenerum rangewide, it is common in California and Central Chile, elsewhere it seems to be rare. It occurs in California on the El Dorado, Los Padres, Sequoia, and Sierra National Forests, Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Channel Islands National Park, and in Panama at Parque Nacional Volcán Barú.
Range Extent Comments
Cryptomitrium tenerum is an amphitropical disjunctive species, which occurs in western North America, Central America, and western South America. In the United States, it occurs in western Washington, western Oregon, and California; in Mexico, it occurs in Baja California, Chihuahua, Jalisco, Morelos, and Mexico states; it also occurs in Panama, central Chile, the province of Salta, Argentina, and Taiwan. The range extent in North and South America was estimated to be 11.6 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1982 and 2023, 140 million square kilometers if Taiwan is also included (Katagiri and Deguchi 2011, Wang et al. 2011, Gradstein 2017, Arrocha et al. 2021, CNABH 2023, GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1982 and 2023, it is estimated that there are between 81 and 300 occurrences of Cryptomitrium tenerum rangewide (GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, CNABH 2023).
Threat Impact Comments
"Threats include road and recreational trail maintenance, off-road vehicles, fire, logging, and plant succession. Despite its pioneer status on bare disturbed soil, populations of Cryptomitrium are small, discontinuous, and subject to local catastrophic loss. It probably does not compete well with vascular plants. Periodic disturbance is probably necessary to maintain habitat, but extensive or a high frequency of disturbance can extirpate local populations" (Wagner 2018).
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

Characters which are distinctive, 1) small thalloid liverwort, 2) occurs on bare soil, 3) carpocephala that are hemispheric when young but spread out into flat discs when mature, and 4) spherical sporangium opening by a distinct operculum (Wagner 2018).

Habitat

Cryptomitrium tenerum grows on soil overlying limestone rock in mesic woodlands and scrub, in rather open situations, on escarpments and cliffs, from sea level to over 2000 m (Gradstein 2017). This species occurs in cool wet (winters) and dry (summers) climates and forms mats on bare, shaded humid soil on hillsides, rock outcrops, and stream banks. Forest types range from Pseudotsuga menziesii, Tsuga heterophylla, and Abies amabilis associations (Wagner 2018).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - ConiferBare rock/talus/scree
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
5 - Biological resource useRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsLarge (31-70%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionLarge (31-70%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (7)
California (7)
AreaForestAcres
Black MountainLos Padres National Forest16,818
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
Ferguson RidgeSierra National Forest6,104
La PanzaLos Padres National Forest4,954
No NameCleveland National Forest4,897
Stanley MountainLos Padres National Forest14,674
Trumbull PeakStanislaus National Forest6,164
References (11)
  1. Arrocha, C., G. Guerra, N. Batista, and Á. Benítez. 2021. Contribución a la diversidad de hepáticas neotropicales: nuevos registros para Panamá. Neotropical Biodiversity 6(1): 217–223. Online. Available: https://doi.org/10.1080/23766808.2020.1863757 (Accessed 2023).
  2. Consortium of North American Bryophyte Herbaria (CNABH). 2023. Online. Available: https://bryophyteportal.org/portal/collections/index.php (accessed 2023).
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2023. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2023).
  4. Gradstein, S.R. 2017. Amphitropical disjunctive species in the complex thalloid liverworts (Marchantiidae). Journal of Bryology 39(1): 66-78. Online. Available: https://doi.org/10.1080/03736687.2016.1189662 (Accessed 2023).
  5. iNaturalist. 2023. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2023).
  6. iNaturalist Canada. 2022. <i>Cryptomitrium tenerum</i>. Accessed: September 13, 2022. https://inaturalist.ca/taxa/55256-Cryptomitrium-tenerum
  7. Katagiri, T. and H. Deguchi. 2011. <i>Mannia subpilosa</i> (Horik.) Horik. a new synonym of <i>Cryptomitrium tenerum</i> (Hook.) Austin. Bryophyte Diversity and Evolution 33(1): 1-5.
  8. Stotler, R. and B. Crandall-Stotler. 1977. A checklist of the liverworts and hornworts of North America. The Bryologist 80(3): 405-428.
  9. Stotler, R.E. and B. Crandall-Stotler. 2017. A synopsis of the liverwort flora of North America north of Mexico. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 102: 574-709.
  10. Wagner, D.H. 2018. Species Fact Sheet: <i>Cryptomitrium tenerum</i> (Hook.) Aust. Interagency Special Status/Sensitive Species Program (ISSSSP) Conservation Planning Documents, U.S. Forest Service (Pacific Northwest Regional Office) and Bureau of Land Management (Oregon/Washington State Office). Online. Available: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r6/issssp/downloads/xnonvascular/sfs-br-cryptomitrium-tenerum-20190329.docx (Accessed 2023).
  11. Wang, J., M.J. Lai, and R.L. Zhu. 2011. Liverworts and hornworts of Taiwan: an updated checklist and floristic accounts. Annales Botanici Fennici 48:369-395. Online. Available: https://www.sekj.org/PDF/anbf48/anbf48-369.pdf (Accessed 2023).