Calliergon giganteum

Calliergon giganteum, the giant spearmoss,[1] giant calliergon moss,[2] or arctic moss, is an aquatic plant found on lake beds in tundra regions. It has no wood stems or flowers, and has small rootlets instead of roots.

Calliergon giganteum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Bryophyta
Class: Bryopsida
Subclass: Bryidae
Order: Hypnales
Family: Calliergonaceae
Genus: Calliergon
Species:
C. giganteum
Binomial name
Calliergon giganteum
(Schimp.) Kindb.

Calliergon giganteum survives in the cold climate by storing nutrients to be used in the formation of new leaves in the spring. It is one of about 2000 plant species on the tundra, most of which are mosses and lichens. The plant is eaten by migrating animals such as birds. The ground cover of Calliergon giganteum in the arctic has a warming effect which other plants benefit from.

"Calliergon giganteum" grows to be about 8 cm tall.

References

  1. Edwards, Sean R. (2012). English Names for British Bryophytes. British Bryological Society Special Volume. Vol. 5 (4 ed.). Wootton, Northampton: British Bryological Society. ISBN 978-0-9561310-2-7. ISSN 0268-8034.
  2. USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Calliergon giganteum". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 4 February 2016.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.