# Arkansas creek moss



## PeterE (Feb 9, 2010)

This is my first local biotopes post! Over Christmas I visited my grandparents down in Arkansas. They live out in the country on a hill, with many cowponds and creeks I thought that even in the dead of winter (like they know what that is) might hold some interesting southern species that I haven't collected. Mostly, I found very little, but I did find some interesting plants that I was not able to bring home. However, I did explore the woods for some creeks that might hold suitable moss, and I found several interesting species, one of which is actually really cool. Here is the creek I found:








It held a couple species that were growing near or in the water, so I decided to take them back. These pictures are of the mosses that have been growing in my 6 gallon Eclipse for a little more than a month. As you can see, this moss isn't really aquatic, but it is doing okay (long, spiky growth is the aquatic growth):








This next moss is really excellent. It is definitely aquatic, and has a very different structure than any other moss I have seen in the aquarium hobby:

















Neither of these pictures are that good, but you can sort of see how it is sort of scaly-looking. It is growing well in both my aquariums.
My brook stickleback thoroughly enjoys hiding in both:







Hope you like these!


----------



## PeterE (Feb 9, 2010)

Sorry, my post must have looked pretty dumb for a little while, but I fixed it, and now the pictures show up.


----------



## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

Hello Peter,
the 2nd one looks to me like a foliose liverwort. 
Because moss ID is difficult and often requires microscopic examination, You could dry some well-developed specimens of both mosses and send them together with informations about location and habitat to a bryologist.


----------



## Tausendblatt (Sep 16, 2009)

Sure is a fascinating species, the second one. It looks like it has duckweed in it...

I would be interested as to it's true identity. As for the first one, I have seen similar mosses in the wild...


----------



## PeterE (Feb 9, 2010)

Yeah, it was right under the filter flow, and so it collected a lot of duckweed...








I haven't seen any pictures of foliose liverworts, and you're guess is probably better than mine. It's emersed form looks a lot like greater whipwort:http://www.andrewspink.nl/mosses/pictures/Bazzinia trilobata 7176.jpg. I will see if I can get a someone to identify it.


----------



## Tausendblatt (Sep 16, 2009)

This liverwort you have is cool! You have got to post an update or start distributing it once you find out the species. Perhaps it could become a global phenomenon!

Any book on liverworts and mosses of your area should have it in there, or at least something that looks really similar, that could give you the genus name.


----------



## PeterE (Feb 9, 2010)

That is exactly what I thought! It is still growing nicely, but is still a little covered with receding clado right now. I have found someone who might be able to identify it, so I am excited. Sorry for taking so long. I will try to post updates tomorrow or the next day. I totally agree with you, this is an awesome species! It doesn't have the same growth form as it did in the wild, but I don't have the right tank for it right now, probably, because it is in 78 degree water.


----------



## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

PeterE,

I have found the same moss/liverwort species in Chambers County, Texas! I'll post pics when (IF) I get a chance. What I noticed is that it dries up nearly to a crisp when it's out of water and humidity is low. However, as soon as you throw water on it, or humidity kicks up, it perks up FAST.

Where I found it, it is attached to Cypress knees/roots and does not appear under water. But, the water there is extremely clouded due to clay in the area, so light does not penetrate the water. The sample I collected is growing in my NPT picotope, though slowly.

Was the sample you found growing submersed?

-Dave


----------



## PeterE (Feb 9, 2010)

Great! I found mine submerged about 3-5 inches in a cold little creek. I noticed the same perking-up thing as you describe, and it grows pretty fast out of water. It must have been dry since Christmas now, but it is growing quickly as soon as I put water in the soil in the container. It does grow slowly submersed, but it has a unique look. I am going to try and contact the Arkansas DNR when I can to try and find out the species.


----------



## DutchMuch (Apr 12, 2017)

This is a long shot, but any update on this? I live in North Central AR and live near several lakes and creeks. I found myself some aquatic plants in local lakes, but am unable to identify it as well. but I haven't done research, what part of AR do you live in? like NW NE, etc


----------



## snarkinturtle (Sep 26, 2017)

The liverwort is Porella pinnata.


----------

