Mnium ambiguum
Mnium ambiguum H. Müll.
Mniaceae
Conservation status. Vulnerable [VU D2].
Morphology and biology. Perennial acrocarpous moss forming green tufts. Shoots erect, 3–7 cm high, reddish brown. Leaves twisted when dry, expanded when wet, elongate oval, long decurrent at base, leaf apex acute, border reddish, well developed, margin doubly spinulose. Nerve single, almost reaches leaf apex or shortly excurrent, usually spinulose on the dorsal surface. Unisexual, rarely with sporophytes. Spore capsule inclined to pendulous, seta long, red, lid with short rostrum.
Habitats and populations. Grows in wet shaded rock crevices. The populations have restricted distribution and low density.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Rila Mts (above Borovets).
General distribution. Balkan Peninsula, N and C Europe, C Asia, North America. Boreal-mountain species.
Threats. Major negative factor is habitat degradation due to tourism and resort building. The small number of populations makes the species vulnerable to stochastic processes.
Conservation measures taken. The localities are within Rila National Park and in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria
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 threatening factors and monitor the populations.
References. Ganeva & Düll 1999.
Author: Rayna Natcheva
