Bryoxiphium norvegicum in Iowa

Abstract

Bryoxiphium norvegicum (Brid.) Mitt. is reported for the first time from Iowa. While conducting a field survey of the pteridophyte flora of the Driftless Area, I discovered two localities in Iowa with Bryoxiphium norvegicum (Brid.) Mitt. The occurrence of this moss in Iowa represents an addition to the moss flora of Iowa and contributes to the known distribution of this phytogeographically interesting species. Both localities are north-facing to northeast-facing acid sandstone bluffs dominated by Pinus strobus. The moss occurs with minimal exposure to direct sunlight in crevices and beneath overhangs, forms clones 0.05 to 0.15 m in diameter, lacks sporophytes, and is mainly associated with Lepraria membranacea (Dicks.) Vain. USA. IOWA. ALLAMAKEE CO.: crevices in sandstone bluff along Bear Creek, 1.4 km NNW of Quandahl, Waterloo twp., T. 100N, R.6W, S.30, Peck 80-1 (IA, ISC, MICH, NY, TENN, MO, MIN, WIS); crevices in sandstone bluff along Waterloo Creek, 1.8 km WNW of Dorchester, Waterloo twp., T.100N, R.6W, S.14, Peck 80-984 (IA, ISC). The taxonomy, geography, and ecology of Bryoxiphium norvegicum was summarized by Steere (1937) and Live & Love (1953). They considered the species a widely distributed, disjunct relict, possibly of Eocene origin. Steere (1937) noted that the species' range in North America was mainly on unglaciated landforms, such as the acid sandstone outcrops of the Driftless Area in Wisconsin. Based upon proximity to known localities in Wisconsin and Minnesota and presence of suitable acid sandstone outcrops, Steere (1937) predicted that the species should also occur in Iowa. The occurrence of Bryoxiphium in Iowa, 120 km west of known Wisconsin localities (Richland and Vernon Cos.) and 90 km south of the only Minnesota locality (La Moille Cave, Winona Co.) is of special interest, since the Iowa and Minnesota localities are part of a landscape now considered glaciated during Nebraskanan time (Scholtes & Swenson 1958). Evidently, sufficient time has elapsed for the species to have expanded its range from the Driftless Area refugium westward to suitable habitats in Iowa and Minnesota. The collections from the Minnesota locality are all old, being made by Holzinger and Cheney from 1893-1905 (pers. comm., C. E. Wetmore, Univ. Minnesota, St. Paul). My efforts to locate the species at La Moille Cave in 1980 were not successful. The locality has been degraded by highway construction and water impoundment by Locks and Dam 6 on the Mississippi River. Increased siltation along Trout Creek has nearly obliterated the cave entrance. Consequently, field search is warranted in Iowa and Minnesota to locate additional outlier populations. Live, A. & D. Love. 1953. Studies on Bryoxiphium. THE BRYOLOGIST 56: 73-95; 183-203. Scholtes, W. H. & G. A. Swenson. 1958. Soil Survey of Allamakee County, Iowa. U.S. Dept. Agr., Soil Cons. Serv., Soil Survey Ser. 1939, No. 29. Steere, W. C. 1937. Bryoxiphium norvegicum, the sword moss, as a preglacial and interglacial relict. Ecology 18: 346-358. 007-2745/80/535$0.35/0 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.5 on Fri, 09 Dec 2016 05:23:14 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms

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