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Home/Species/ Silvery Bryum Moss

Bryum argenteum

Hedw.

Silvery Bryum Moss

G5Secure Found in 11 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.121656
Element CodeNBMUS1A070
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryNonvascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumBryophyta
ClassBryopsida
OrderBryales
FamilyBryaceae
GenusBryum
Other Common Names
Bryum argenté (FR) Silvergreen Bryum Moss (EN) silvergreen bryum moss (EN)
Concept Reference
Anderson, L.E., H.A. Crum, and W.R. Buck. 1990. List of the mosses of North America north of Mexico. The Bryologist 93(4):448-499.
Taxonomic Comments
Anderson et al. (1990) does not recognize any varieties as distinct while FNA (vol. 28) recognizes 3 varieties: var. argenteum, var. majus, and var. muticum.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2015-02-03
Change Date1991-04-18
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Silvery moss has erect stems in loose to dense tufts, silvery-white, 0.4-1.0 cm high. Leaves 0.5-1.0 mm long, often with recurved, short-pointed tips, closely overlapping each other, cells rectangular, thin-walled, most cells of upper leaf surface lack chlorophyll, costa (nerve of leaf) ending below the apex. Seta (stalk subtending capsule) 0.8-2.0 cm long arising from the apex of the stem. Capsules 1-2 mm long, cylindrical in shape, longer than wide, rarely produced. Gemmae (small round group of a few cells serving in vegetative reproduction) not produced.

Diagnostic Characteristics

Small, compact silvery-white moss. Leaves with recurved apiculate apices with costa (nerve of leaf) ending below the apex. Gemmae lacking.
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
New BrunswickS5Yes
British ColumbiaS4Yes
ManitobaS4Yes
AlbertaS4Yes
SaskatchewanS5Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS3Yes
QuebecS5Yes
Yukon TerritoryS4Yes
NunavutS3Yes
Prince Edward IslandS4Yes
LabradorS3Yes
OntarioS5Yes
Northwest TerritoriesS4Yes
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
ConnecticutSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
ArkansasSNRYes
New JerseySNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
OregonSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
NebraskaSNRYes
GeorgiaSNRYes
West VirginiaSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
South CarolinaSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
AlaskaSNRYes
North DakotaSNRYes
North CarolinaSNRYes
MontanaSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
AlabamaSNRYes
FloridaSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
WyomingS5Yes
TexasSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
New MexicoSNRYes
LouisianaSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
NevadaSNRYes
VirginiaSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
TennesseeS4Yes
MississippiSNRYes
IowaSNRYes
WisconsinS4Yes
New YorkSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
ArizonaSNRYes
UtahSNRYes
KansasSNRYes
IdahoSNRYes
VermontS5Yes
KentuckySNRYes
ColoradoSNRYes
WashingtonSNRYes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (11)
California (6)
AreaForestAcres
Cactus Springs BSan Bernardino National Forest3,106
Chips CreekPlumas National Forest12,940
De La GuerraLos Padres National Forest5,418
San DimasAngeles National Forest7,160
Sespe - FrazierAngeles National Forest4,254
WildhorseCleveland National Forest1,483
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Rose - Whites CanyonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest2,568
New Hampshire (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
North Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Woods MountainPisgah National Forest9,602
Utah (1)
AreaForestAcres
Long Neck Mesa / Steep Creek / Oak Creek - Steep Creek / OakDixie National Forest55,489
Wyoming (1)
AreaForestAcres
Salt River RangeBridger-Teton National Forest235,661
References (2)
  1. Anderson, L.E., H.A. Crum, and W.R. Buck. 1990. List of the mosses of North America north of Mexico. The Bryologist 93(4):448-499.
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2014a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 28. Bryophytes: Mosses, part 2. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. vii + 702 pp.