April 16, 2005: Lucas County
Jim Toppin and Janet Traub were hosts for the spring foray. A small gathering of 8 or 9 met at Lou Campbell State Nature Preserve for a one-day field trip that also included a visit to the limestone outcroppings along the Maumee River.
The next foray is scheduled for Lawrence County, October 1-2, 2005.

BRYOPHYTES AND LICHENS FROM LUCAS COUNTY, OHIO
Lucas County is located in glaciated northwestern Ohio with Toledo the largest city and the county seat. On Saturday, April 6, 2005, a small group of dedicated bryologists and lichenologists met for a one-day field exploration of the local moss and lichen flora. The following 2 sites were the main areas of study.

I. Lou Campbell State Nature Preserve, approximately 41°35’ N; 83°45’ W in Springfield Township, covers 170 acres and includes a mosaic of black oak savannas, wet sedge meadows, swamp and oak woodlands. sand dunes and sand barren prairies.

2. Metroparks Toledo Area: Farnsworth Metropark, Roche de Boeuf is located approximately 41°28’ N; 83°43’ W in Waterville Township, and runs along the western shore of the Maumee River. Rising sharply from the narrow river floodplain, limestone outcrops form both talus slopes and cliffs 20-30 feet in height. The shallow river and narrow floodplain in the immediate area is littered with glacial cobbles and limestone rocks.

The following list of lichen and moss species is arranged alphabetically by site. The names used are those preferred by the collector and identifications are those of the collectors, rather than of the authority on one individual.

The Lichens
Both lichen biomass and diversity were quite low in the areas sampled. Although a total of 28 species was recorded, several of these were in depauperate condition (Flavoparmelia caperata, Parmelia sulcata, Punctelia rudecta) or of underdeveloped size (Myelochroa aurulenta, Phaeophyscia adiastola, Phaeophyscia cernohorskyi, Phaeophyscia rubropulchra, Physciella chloantha). The only species considered common were those known to be pollution tolerant and especially nitrophilous (Candelaria concolor, Physcia millegrana, Physcia stellaris, Xanthomendoza sp.) These species are able to survive, not only in spite of, but because of nitrogen pollution due to the close proximity of the Ohio Turnpike and Toledo Express Airport (to the Lou Campbell State Nature Preserve). The only soil lichen considered common in the sand barrens was Cladonia polycarpoides, much of it consisting of sterile squamules only. In addition, the genus Caloplaca was considered common on the limestone rocks at Roche de Boeuf.

The rocky shoreline and much of the narrow river floodplain of the Maumee River were recently inundated with floodwaters and rocks were presently covered with mud and debris. As a result, any lichens once growing on these rocks (if any) were completely obscured.

Lou Campbell State Nature Preserve (19 species)

  1. Arthonia caesia
  2. Candelaria concolor
  3. Cladonia cristatella
  4. *Cladonia cylindrica
  5. Cladonia polycarpoides
  6. Flavoparmelia caperata
  7. *Hyperphyscia adglutinata
  8. Lepraria lobificans
  9. Melanelia subaurifera
  10. Myelochroa aurulenta
  11. Parmelia sulcata
  12. *Phaeophyscia pusilloides
  13. Phaeophyscia rubropulchra
  14. Physcia millegrana
  15. Physcia stellaris
  16. *Physciella chloantha
  17. Physconia detersa
  18. Punctelia rudecta
  19. Trapeliopsis flexuosa

 

Roche de Boeuf (17 species)

  1. Caloplaca cetrina
  2. Caloplaca feracissima
  3. Caloplaca flavovirescens
  4. Candelaria concolor
  5. Candelariella efflorescens
  6. *Lichenella nigritella (yet to be confirmed)
  7. Endocarpon pusillum
  8. Leproloma membranaceum
  9. *Phaeophyscia adiastola
  10. *Phaeophyscia cernohorskyi
  11. Phaeophyscia rubropulchra
  12. Physcia millegrana
  13. Physcia stellaris
  14. *Phaeophyscia chloantha
  15. Verrucaria nigrescens
  16. *Xanthomendoza fallax
  17. *Xanthomendoza ulophyllodes

*Species so marked represent new County records

REFERENCE

Showman, Ray E. and Don G. Flenniken. 2004. The Macrolichens of Ohio. Ohio Biological Survey Bulletin New Series Volume 14 Number 3. Iv + 279 pp.

MOSSES AND LIVERWORTS

The following is a list of mosses and liverworts collected by various participants during the spring foray to Lucas County, Ohio. * indicates new county records, ** indicates new state records.

Louis W. Campbell State Nature Preserve (Preliminary List)
Liverworts

1. Calypogeia fissa*
2, Geocalyx graveolens*
3. Lophocolea heterophylla*

Mosses

1. Amblystegium serpens
2. Ambylstegium varium
3. Atrichum altecristatum*
4. Atrichum angustatum
5. Aulacomnium palustre
6. Barbula unguiculata
7. Brachythecium rivulare*
8. Brachythecium rutabulum
9. Bryhnia novae-angliae
10. Callicladium haldanianum
11. Campylium chrysophyllum
12. Campylium stellatum var. stellatum•
13. Ceratodon purpureus var. purpureus
14. Dicranella heteromalla
15. Dicranum scoparium
16. Drepanocladus aduncus var. aduncus
17. Drepanocladus aduncus var. kneiffii
18. Entodon seductrix
19. Fissidens adianthoides
20. Fissideos taxifolius
21. Helodium blandowii var. helodioides
22. Leptodictyum riparium
23. Leskea gracilescens
24. Orthotrichum obtusifolium*
25. Plagiomnium cuspidatum*
26. Platygyrium repens
27. Pohlia bulbifera**
28. Polytrichum commune var. commune
29. Polytrichum ohioense
30. Polytrichum piliferum
31. Sphagnum compactum
32. Sphagnum lescurii
33. Thuidium delicatulum

Roche de Boeuf Park, Farnsworth Metro Park (Preliminary List)
Liverworts

1. Porella platyphylla*
2. Reboulia hemisphaerica*

Mosses

1. Amblystegium serpens
2. Anomodon attenuatus
3. Anomodon rostratus
4. Bryum lisae var. cuspidatum*
5. Desmatodon porteri
6. Didymodon tophaceus*
7. Encalypta procera
8. Fissidens bryoides*
9. Hygroamblystegium tenax var. tenax*
10. Leskea gracilescens
11. Schistidium rivulare

References

Miller, H.A. 1964. Ohio liverworts. Ohio J. Sci. 64 (3): 177-184.

Snider, J.A. and B.K. Andreas. 1996. A Catalog and Atlas of the Mosses of Ohio. Ohio Biol. Surv. Misc. Cont. No. 2. 105 p.

(originally published 2005 in OBELISK vol. 1)