Geothallus
| Geothallus | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Marchantiophyta |
| Class: | Marchantiopsida |
| Order: | Sphaerocarpales |
| Family: | Sphaerocarpaceae |
| Genus: | Geothallus Campb. |
| Species: | G. tuberosus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Geothallus tuberosus | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
| |
Geothallus is a monotypic genus of liverwort in the family Sphaerocarpaceae. Its sole species, Geothallus tuberosus, is a critically endangered species endemic to California in the United States. Described in 1896 by American botanist Douglas Houghton Campbell, it is commonly known as Campbell's liverwort.
Taxonomy and history
Geothallus tuberosus was described by American botanist Douglas Houghton Campbell in an 1896 article published in the Botanical Gazette.[3][4] Campbell first noticed the new species in March 1895, having found an unfamiliar plant growing in a clump of Ophioglossum nudicaule he was cultivating. The O. nudicaule had been sent to him by a Katherine Brandegee, who collected them from sandy soil near San Diego, California. Mixed in with the O. nudicaule, the specimens were partially buried in the dirt and had lost much of their green colour due to desiccation. Campbell would only notice their uniqueness after rehydrating the clump of liverworts under a bell jar.[5]
Distribution and habitat
Endemic to California in the United States, Geothallus tuberosus is known only from San Diego County and Riverside County. It can be found in small, isolated populations on mesas, coastal hills, and the Peninsular Ranges, where it grows in gravelly soil, at the edges of vernal pools, and on flat and gently sloping areas in and near chaparral.[1][6]
References
- ^ a b Doyle, W.T. (2012). "Geothallus tuberosus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012 e.T39242A2895685. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T39242A2895685.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- ^ NatureServe. "Geothallus tuberosus". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Geothallus tuberosus Campb". World Flora Online. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ Stotler, Raymond E.; Crandall-Stotler, Barbara (2017). "A Synopsis of the Liverwort Flora of North America North of Mexico". Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. 102 (4): 621. doi:10.3417/2016027. ISSN 0026-6493. OCLC 45446666.
- ^ Campbell, D.H. (1896). "A new Californian Liverwort". Botanical Gazette. 21: 9–13, pl. 2. doi:10.1086/327288. ISSN 1940-1205. OCLC 45446737.
- ^ Doyle, William T.; Stotler, Raymond E. (2006). "Contributions toward a Bryoflora of California III. Keys and annotated species catalogue for liverworts and hornworts". Madroño. 53 (2): 119–120. doi:10.3120/0024-9637(2006)53[89:CTABOC]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0024-9637. OCLC 213802384.