Aulacomnium turgidum explained

Aulacomnium turgidum, commonly called swollen thread-moss or mountain groove-moss, is a species of moss in the family Aulacomniaceae. It is found in the United States, Canada, Russia, Greenland, Norway and Scotland.^[1] It was extirpated from England in 1878 and has not reestablished since.^{[2] [3]}

The shoots are up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) tall, with scales blunt, concave, 2.5 to 3 millimeters long and densely overlapping, which gives the shoots a swollen, turgid appearance. It is visually similar to the circumboreal ribbed bog moss (Aulacomnium palustre).^[4]

Aulacomnium turgidum grows on alkaline substrates in open habitats on ledges and crags, often in alpine environments.^[5]

Notes and References

1. https://eol.org/pages/928679/data Smithsonian, Encyclopaedia of Life
2. Web site: The Species Recovery Trust - Lost Life . 2019-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190428193658/http://www.speciesrecoverytrust.org.uk/LostLife.html . 2019-04-28 . dead .
3. Web site: British Bryological Society . 2019-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190531140115/http://britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk/ . 2019-05-31 . dead .
4. https://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/bbs/Activities/mosses/Aulacomnium%20turgidum.pdf Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh - Alaucomnium turgidum
5. https://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/bbs/Activities/mosses/Aulacomnium%20turgidum.pdf Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh - Alaucomnium turgidum