Twisted oak moss (Syntrichia laevipila) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 6
Biology
General
Syntrichia laevipila is an acrocarpous moss that grows as small clumps on tree bark, especially Garry oak. It is most readily distinguished by the habitat as well as its diminutive size.
Reproduction and dispersal
Syntrichia laevipila var. laevipila produces sporophytes and spores relatively frequently in British Columbia. Spores are wind-dispersed or water-dispersed along bark surfaces, but there is no information on spore dispersal distances, viability, or germination success for this species. Asexual reproduction by gemmae is probably an important method of dispersal, at least over short distances, and in stressed environments (Merrifield 2000, Studlar et al. 1984). Miles (pers. comm., 2002) grew gemmae of S. laevipila on agar and transplanted the young plants onto oak bark at her residence in Victoria. Some of these transplants have survived for 2 years.