SafePlants

Fossombronia

Fossombronia is a genus of liverworts belonging to the family Codoniaceae (sometimes Riccardiaceae) within the order Metzgeriales. The common name "frillwort" is associated with at least one species, Fossombronia husnotii, known as Husnot's Frillwort.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Fossombronia Raddi, 1818
• Family: Codoniaceae (sometimes Riccardiaceae)
• Order: Metzgeriales
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Division: Hepatophyta
• Class: Jungermanniopsida
• Synonyms: Codoniaceae Klinggr., 1858.
• Examples of Species with Synonyms: Fossombronia japonica (synonym: Fossombronia alaskana Steere & Inoue - 1974). Fossombronia pusilla (redirected from Codonia pusilla).

Considerations for Pets

• Some Fossombronia species have stems less than 15 mm long, bearing pale or bright green leaves which are variously curled and crisped. These small plant parts might present a minor ingestion hazard for pets.

Distribution and Habitat

• Fossombronia species have been recorded in various locations, including the British Isles, Taiwan, southern Africa, and Australia (Tasmania).
• Habitats mentioned include wet clay soil, wet acidic cattle tracks, and roadside banks. Some species are very common in spring along roadsides.
• Fossombronia pusilla is noted as a Mediterranean-Atlantic Suboceanic element.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Most Fossombronia species have prostrate stems less than 15 mm long.
• Leaves are typically pale or bright green, curled, and crisped.
• Fossombronia are simple thallose liverworts with a cabbage head appearance, ruffled margins, and bright purple rhizoids.
• Some species, like Fossombronia husnotii, are perennial and winter-green, but may die down to spores in dry summers.
• Fossombronia wondraczekii is described as a large species with less frilly leaves than Fossombronia husnotii.

Ecology

• Fossombronia are often found in wet environments such as along roadsides in spring.

Quirky Facts

• To identify Fossombronia plants to species, one needs to look at the sporophytes.
• The genus name Fossombronia may be connected to a man politique de Toscane named Fossombroni while wondraczekii comes from Wondraczek.

Further Information

• Discover Life offers a page about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Fossombronia.
• The Plant List includes taxonomic information.
• EOL (Encyclopedia of Life) provides information about Fossombronia wondraczekii.
• The British Bryological Society Checklist of British and Irish Bryophytes contains checklists of Fossombronia species.