Splachnum ampullaceum

Description:

Annual Shuttle species. Sweet, pungent odor. Gametophyte small, acrocarp; large conspicuous red sporophyte neck swellinge. Spores large as seen with my dissecting scope; leaves few, costa extening through leaf, margins dentate, often to below medial, teeth multicellular.

Habitat:

Growing on Elk Dung in the outflow of a true/ raised? bog. Associated species: Thuja plicata, Sphagnum capillifolium, carix sp.

Notes:

Interesting family of bryophytes. Splachnaceae plants generally establish very briefly on animal dung. They seem to occur more often in temperate to polar regions, or alpine, since decay is much slower/ the dung stays around longer. I have never seen a dung moss before, and have been looking for the for several years. It is not surprising that I sighted it in a bog since that would be one of the only places where, due to low acidity and decay rates, it could mature into its sporophyte phase. Quite possibly the first siting in Washington State.