Mystery Moss - Identification?

[Will Walker]

Hi all -

I was hiking in the hudson highlands and picked up a small sample of iron-stained gneiss from a swiftly flowing stream bed. There was a very green, almost polyp-like moss clinging to the rocks in the stream and I thought it would be interesting to take one home to place in my fluval edge. You know, aquaculture from your local biome!

Can anyone give me an identity or point me in the right direction to figure out what type of moss this is? It seems pretty happy, has been pearling away for two days under pressurized CO2/dosing, but I'm interested in finding out what kind of moss I've got. It's quite striking and I could see it becoming popular in the hobby if not too hard to care for.

 

[Biollante]

It Is Safe To Give The Correct Answer Now!

Hi Will,

The only reason I am answering this is because once I give the wrong answer Gerry or other smart folks will jump in and give the correct answer, they just like to wait until I mess up.

Just ‘cause you are paranoid does not mean they are not out to get you!

While it is a Bryophyte, it does not look like a moss to me; it appears to be a leafy liverwort.

Since you found it in fast moving water and because Scapania undulata is a very common liverwort and rounded leaves so it is not Diplophyllum, I will stick with Scapania undulata.

The color in these things can vary quite a bit.

Biollante