Lophozia longidens
Lophozia longidens (Lindb.) Macoun
Jungermanniaceae
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ab(iii)].
Morphology and biology. Perennial, leafy liverwort forming dark green to brownish lax mats. Stems simple, to 1–3 cm long and 1.8 mm wide. Leaves obliquely inserted, spreading, almost rectangular, to 1/5–2/5 divided into 2 almost parallel lobes. Unisexual, rarely with sporophytes. Forms numerous brick red to red brown bicellular gemmae on the tips of the upper stem leaves.
Habitats and populations. Grows on decaying wood and at the bottom of the trees in beech and spruce forests with higher air humidity. The populations have restricted distribution and low density.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Vitosha Region (Vitosha Mt, above the stone-pits by Vladayska River). Reported from Rila Mts.
General distribution. Balkan Peninsula (Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia), W and C Europe, North America, Greenland, C and E Asia. Boreal-mountain species.
Threats. The species is sensitive to the decrease of air and substrate humidity as well as habitat disturbance due to forestry activities (tree felling, road construction, etc.).
Conservation measures taken. None.
Conservation measures needed. To study the dynamics of numbers and area of the populations, as well as the biology and ecology of the species in Bulgaria; to elucidate the threat factors and monitor the populations.
References. Arnaudoff 1914, Stefanoff & Petrov 1962.
Author: Rayna Natcheva
