''Warnstorfia fluitans'', the floating hook-moss or water hook-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 ...

found in acidic habitats across all continents except Antarctica.

Description

''Warnstorfia fluitans'' is a medium-sized moss ranging in color from green to yellowish to brownish and can be rarely red when the species occurs in exposed habitats. The cells of its stem epidermis are not widened, and its pseudoparaphyllia are ovate-triangular to lanceolate in shape. It has axillary hairs with a distal portion of one to four cells, the hairs being hyaline when young. Its stem leaves are narrowly ovate to triangularly ovate, with denticulate margins. Their apices are acuminate, and the costa range from 50 to 80% of the leaf length. Its alar regions are narrowly transversely triangular and roughly reach the costa. The moss is sexually autoicous. ''Warnstorfia fluitans'' is distinguished from '' Warnstorfia pseudostraminea'', the other autoicous species in its genus, by its more broadly triangular alar groups and more straight to slightly falcate stem leaves with hooked apices. However, these morphological features are inconsistent in ''W. pseudostraminea'', and rarely certain occurrences of ''W. fluitans'' have the same characteristics. ''Warnstorfia fluitans'' is excellent at phytofiltration of arsenic from water.

Distribution and habitat

''Warnstorfia fluitans'' commonly occurs in minerally poor or acidic habitats, though it can occasionally occur in nutrient rich areas. It is often found in fens, bogs, depressions in rocks, on moist rocky surfaces, and other similar watery areas ranging in elevation from . It can grow among ''

Sphagnum cuspidatum ''Sphagnum cuspidatum'', the feathery bogmoss, toothed sphagnum, or toothed peat moss, is a peat moss found commonly in Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, the eastern coast of the United States, and in Colombia. Description ''Sphagnum cuspidatum'' i ...

''. The moss can be found throughout Canada and the northern United States, variously in South America, Australia, and Eurasia, in southern and eastern Africa, and on islands in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. ''Warnstorfia fluitans'' is known to be able to use artificial light to grow in places which are otherwise devoid of natural light, such as Crystal Cave in Wisconsin.

Response to herbicide application

In a study of the effect of the herbicide

Asulam Asulam is a herbicide invented by May & Baker Ltd , internally called M&B9057, that is used in horticulture and agriculture to kill bracken Bracken (''Pteridium'') is a genus of large, coarse ferns in the family Dennstaedtiaceae. Ferns (Pt ...

on moss growth, ''Warnstorfia fluitans'' was shown to be

tolerant Toleration is the allowing, permitting, or acceptance of an action, idea, object, or person which one dislikes or disagrees with. Political scientist Andrew R. Murphy explains that "We can improve our understanding by defining "toleration" as a ...

to Asulam exposure.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q11884265 Plants described in 1907 Amblystegiaceae