Trematodon ambiguus
Trematodon ambiguus (Hedw.) Hornsch.
Bruchiaceae
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B2ab(iii)].
Morphology and biology. Perennial acrocarpous moss. Tufts green, up to 1 cm high. Leaves wide at base, abruptly narrowed upwards with awl-like point. Nerve stout, fills the upper leaf part. Sporophyte on stalk1–3 cm long, ellipsoid and slightly longitudinally furrowed. The neck of sporophytes somewhat longer than the capsule. Bisexual.
Habitats and populations. Plants grow on clay or moist peat soils in places with lax herbaceous vegetation. Some fluctuations in population density are possible depending on the environmental conditions.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Vitosha Region (Vitosha Mt – locality of Stambolovska wood), Rhodopi Mts (Western – near Shiroka Polyana dam).
General distribution. Balkan Peninsula (only Bulgaria) and throughout other parts of Europe, Japan, North America. Boreal-montane species.
Threats. Global warming, desiccation and draining, air pollution, overgrowing of open areas with trees and shrubs.
Conservation measures taken. One of the species localities is in Vitosha Nature Park and in Bistrishko Branishte Strict Nature Reserve; however, it has not been confirmed recently. Both known localities are within sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Long-term study, assessment of the trends in habitat changes, prognosis for population development and recommendation of appropriate conservation measures.
References. Podpéra 1911.
Author: Anna Ganeva
