Spring Foray to Bison Hollow, Vinton County
June 22, 2025
Left to Right: Jim Toppin, Ken Mettler, Zach Betonte, Megan Gartland,
Ray Showman, Janet Traub, Bob Klips.
On a very hot Sunday, June 22, we were fortunate to be in the relatively cool Bison Hollow Preserve, owned by Appalachia Ohio Alliance. The preserve has impressive cliffs, rock caves, streams, waterfalls and other very interesting, species-rich habitats.
One interesting find was the moss, Amphidium mougeotii, an endangered species in Ohio. This is a new record for Vinton County. Bryoxiphium norvegicum was abundant on cliffs.
The south end of the Bison Hollow Preserve is a deep, shaded gorge and is poor habitat for lichens on soil or tree boles. Likewise, the rock cliffs on either side of the hollow did not have any foliose or fruticose lichens. However, lichens were observed on a number of fallen limbs. Sixteen species of macrolichens were found, including two which are new for Vinton County.
The following species were noted during the foray:
Mosses
Amphidium mougeotii
Anomodon tristis
Atrichum angustatum
Brachythecium laetum
Bryoandersonia illecebra
Bryoxiphium norvegicum
Calliergonella curvifolia
Campyliadelphus chrysophyllus
Dicranella heteromalla
Dicranum montanum
Dicranum scoparium
Fissidens taxifolius
Forsstroemia trichomitria
Hygroamblystegium varium
Hygrohypnum eugyrium
Hypnum imponens
Isopterygiopsis muelleriana
Leucobryum glaucum
Polytrichum ohioense
Pseudanomodon attenuatus
Thuidium delicatulum
Lichens (N – new record for Vinton County)
Canoparmelia texana N
Dibaeis absoluta
Flavoparmelia caperata
Heterodermia granulifera
Heterodermia speciosa
Hypotrachyna minarum
Myelochroa aurulenta
Myelochroa galbina
Myelochroa metarevoluta N
Parmelia sulcata
Parmotrema hypotropum
Parmotrema reticulatum
Phaeophyscia rubropulchra
Physcia americana
Physcia stellaris
Punctelia rudecta
Pyxine sorediata