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Home/Species/ Silvery Bryum Moss

Bryum argenteum

Hedw.

Silvery Bryum Moss

G5Secure Found in 11 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.121656
Element CodeNBMUS1A070
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryNonvascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumBryophyta
ClassBryopsida
OrderBryales
FamilyBryaceae
GenusBryum
Other Common Names
Bryum argenté (FR) Silvergreen Bryum Moss (EN) silvergreen bryum moss (EN)
Concept Reference
Anderson, L.E., H.A. Crum, and W.R. Buck. 1990. List of the mosses of North America north of Mexico. The Bryologist 93(4):448-499.
Taxonomic Comments
Anderson et al. (1990) does not recognize any varieties as distinct while FNA (vol. 28) recognizes 3 varieties: var. argenteum, var. majus, and var. muticum.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2015-02-03
Change Date1991-04-18
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Silvery moss has erect stems in loose to dense tufts, silvery-white, 0.4-1.0 cm high. Leaves 0.5-1.0 mm long, often with recurved, short-pointed tips, closely overlapping each other, cells rectangular, thin-walled, most cells of upper leaf surface lack chlorophyll, costa (nerve of leaf) ending below the apex. Seta (stalk subtending capsule) 0.8-2.0 cm long arising from the apex of the stem. Capsules 1-2 mm long, cylindrical in shape, longer than wide, rarely produced. Gemmae (small round group of a few cells serving in vegetative reproduction) not produced.

Diagnostic Characteristics

Small, compact silvery-white moss. Leaves with recurved apiculate apices with costa (nerve of leaf) ending below the apex. Gemmae lacking.
Other Nations (2)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
MinnesotaSNRYes
TennesseeS4Yes
AlaskaSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
NebraskaSNRYes
West VirginiaSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
LouisianaSNRYes
ArkansasSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
OregonSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
WisconsinS4Yes
NevadaSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
North CarolinaSNRYes
KentuckySNRYes
ArizonaSNRYes
New JerseySNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
MississippiSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
IowaSNRYes
UtahSNRYes
North DakotaSNRYes
New MexicoSNRYes
AlabamaSNRYes
FloridaSNRYes
WyomingS5Yes
MissouriSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
South CarolinaSNRYes
WashingtonSNRYes
GeorgiaSNRYes
VermontS5Yes
MaineSNRYes
New YorkSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
MontanaSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
VirginiaSNRYes
IdahoSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
ColoradoSNRYes
KansasSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
LabradorS3Yes
NunavutS3Yes
SaskatchewanS5Yes
AlbertaS4Yes
British ColumbiaS4Yes
Northwest TerritoriesS4Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
New BrunswickS5Yes
QuebecS5Yes
Prince Edward IslandS4Yes
Yukon TerritoryS4Yes
OntarioS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS3Yes
ManitobaS4Yes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (11)
California (6)
AreaForestAcres
Cactus Springs BSan Bernardino National Forest3,106
Chips CreekPlumas National Forest12,940
De La GuerraLos Padres National Forest5,418
San DimasAngeles National Forest7,160
Sespe - FrazierAngeles National Forest4,254
WildhorseCleveland National Forest1,483
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Rose - Whites CanyonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest2,568
New Hampshire (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
North Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Woods MountainPisgah National Forest9,602
Utah (1)
AreaForestAcres
Long Neck Mesa / Steep Creek / Oak Creek - Steep Creek / OakDixie National Forest55,489
Wyoming (1)
AreaForestAcres
Salt River RangeBridger-Teton National Forest235,661
References (2)
  1. Anderson, L.E., H.A. Crum, and W.R. Buck. 1990. List of the mosses of North America north of Mexico. The Bryologist 93(4):448-499.
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2014a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 28. Bryophytes: Mosses, part 2. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. vii + 702 pp.