Ephemerum cohaerens
“earth moss”
Ephemerum cohaerens at Batelle Darby Metro Park, Franklin County, Ohio. December 17, 2011.
Ephemerum cohaerens at Batelle Darby Metro Park, Franklin County, Ohio. December 23, 2011.
How to recognize Ephemerum cohaerens: The earth mosses are extremely small short-lived mosses of open bare soil that occur as tiny short plants with sessile sporophytes across a bed of persistent protonema. When moss spores arrive at a good habitat filamentous protonema grow first; then a small bud develops and eventually an entire plant. The largest leaves are 1.5 mm long, oblong, or oblong lanceolate with a recurved tip and irregularly toothed, with shoulders about 2/3 up the leaf. The costa is stronger and thicker above. The ovoid capsules release the large (45-54 x 60-95 micron) papillose spores by tearing open near the middle since the capsule has no cap (operculum) or peristome.
Where to see Ephemerum cohaerens: Earth mosses are mainly fall ephemerals. Look for them on wet bare soil in agricultural fields and along woodland paths where bare moist soil exists.
