Synonyms

Polytrichum urnigerum

  Basis for Listing

Pogonatum urnigerum (urn-bearing hair moss) was ostensibly discovered in Minnesota in 1995 in Cook County (Janssens 2005) and documented by a specimen deposited in the University of Minnesota Herbarium. The discovery was thought to be the first record of this species occurring in the state, indicating that it was quite rare and in need of conservation consideration. For this reason, it was listed as special concern in Minnesota in 2013. Since that time, the species’ identification has been reevaluated by two experts, and it has been determined that the specimen (a compact sterile modification) is in fact Polytrichastrum alpinum (alpine polytrichastrum moss), a closely related species differentiated only by the length of the leaf and the marginal cellular structure of the lamellae (ridges or projections on the midrib of some moss leaves). As of this writing, there has been no verified occurrence of Pogonatum urnigerum in Minnesota.

  Authors/Revisions

Erika R. Rowe (MNDNR), 2018

(Note: all content ©MNDNR)

  References and Additional Information

Janssens, J. A. 2005. Proposed candidates of endangered, threatened, and special concern species of bryophytes for Minnesota: update June 2005. Report to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, County Biological Survey, St. Paul. 18 pp.