''Pohlia nutans'', the nodding thread-moss, is a species of
moss
Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and hor ...
in the family
Mniaceae
Mniaceae is a moss family in the order Bryales.
Taxonomy
The family Mniaceae includes the following genera:
* '' Cinclidium''
* '' Cyrtomnium''
* '' Epipterygium''
* ''Leucolepis''
* '' Mielichhoferia''
* ''Mnium''
* '' Orthomnion''
* ...
. It has a
Cosmopolitan distribution
In biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is the term for the range of a taxon that extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Such a taxon, usually a species, is said to exhibit cosmopolitanism or cosmopolitism. The ext ...
, found on all seven continents; Europe, Iceland, Siberia, Japan, North America, Greenland, the Andes of South America, South Africa, Tasmania and nearby mainland Australia, New Zealand, and the
Antarctic Peninsula
The Antarctic Peninsula, known as O'Higgins Land in Chile and Tierra de San Martín in Argentina, and originally as Graham Land in the United Kingdom and the Palmer Peninsula in the United States, is the northernmost part of mainland Antarctic ...
and
Mount Rittmann
Mount Rittmann is a volcano in Antarctica. Discovered in 1988–1989 by an Italian expedition, it was named after the volcanologist Alfred Rittmann (1893–1980). It features a or wide caldera which crops out from underneath the Aviator Glacie ...
in Antarctica.
An
extremophile
An extremophile (from Latin ' meaning "extreme" and Greek ' () meaning "love") is an organism that is able to live (or in some cases thrive) in extreme environments, i.e. environments that make survival challenging such as due to extreme temper ...
, it is resistant to cold, drought, salt, acid, heavy metals, and intense UV radiation.
''Pohlia nutans'' is subject to
fungal infections
Fungal infection, also known as mycosis, is disease caused by fungi. Different types are traditionally divided according to the part of the body affected; superficial, subcutaneous, and systemic. Superficial fungal infections include common ti ...
which cause
fairy rings
A fairy ring, also known as fairy circle, elf circle, elf ring or pixie ring, is a naturally occurring ring or arc of mushrooms. They are found mainly in forested areas, but also appear in grasslands or rangelands. Fairy rings are detectable by ...
to appear. Some causative agents have been identified, including species of ''
Cladosporium
''Cladosporium'' is a genus of fungi including some of the most common indoor and outdoor molds. Species produce olive-green to brown or black colonies, and have dark-pigmented conidia that are formed in simple or branching chains. Many species ...
'', ''
Mortierella gamsii'' and ''
Mortierella fimbricystis''.
Subtaxa
The following subtaxa are accepted:
*''Pohlia nutans'' subsp. ''nutans''
*''Pohlia nutans'' subsp. ''otaruensis''
*''Pohlia nutans'' subsp. ''schimperi''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''angustiretis''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''arenaria''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''brevicuspidata''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''bryoides''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''compacta''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''cuspidatulum''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''decurtata''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''flagellata''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''gemmiclada''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''inclinata''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''laxa''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''longicuspidata''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''microspora''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''mollis''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''nutans''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''patula''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''pehrii''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''prolifera''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''pseudocucullata''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''purpurascens''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''ramosissima''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''robusta''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''saltans''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''stollei''
*''Pohlia nutans'' f. ''teres''
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q150345
Mniaceae
Cosmopolitan species
Plants described in 1879