SafePlants

Anastrophyllum: A Detailed Overview

Anastrophyllum is a genus of liverworts belonging to the family Anastrophyllaceae. These small, leafy plants are found in various regions worldwide. This genus includes many species, displaying a wide range of ecological adaptations and morphological features.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Anastrophyllum (Spruce) Steph.
• Family: Anastrophyllaceae
• Division: Marchantiophyta (Note: Some U.S. government taxon databases incorrectly refer to this division as Hepatophyta.)
• Synonyms: The text mentions several species with synonyms, such as Anastrophyllum helleranum (Nees) Schust. which is a synonym of Anastrophyllum hellerianum. Anastrophyllum auritum (Lehm.) Stephani is also shown as redirecting from Anastrophyllum leucocephalum.

Distribution and Habitat

• Anastrophyllum species are found in various regions, including:
  • Canada (Native)
  • Altai Mountains (South Siberia)
  • Tasmania (Australia), where Anastrophyllum schismoides is an epiphyte in wet forests and rainforests.
  • Yukon Territory, Alberta, and Washington where some species have recently been discovered (A. assimile and A. michauxii).
  • Norway, Scotland, Alaska, and the Sino-Himalaya are habitats for Anastrophyllum joergensenii.
• Specific habitats include tree bases and rotting logs in moist forested areas.

Morphological Characteristics

• Several species are described as small, leafy liverworts.
• Anastrophyllum alpinum has short, forward-curved leaves and is around 1-2 mm in size.

Quirky Facts

• Anastrophyllum helleranum is an epixylic hepatic, meaning it grows on decaying wood, and uses asexually produced gemmae for reproduction in spatially and temporally limited substrate patches.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Some species, such as Anastrophyllum schismoides in Tasmania, occur as epiphytes, growing on other plants without harming them.
• The text mentions instances of Anastrophyllum stems found with other liverwort species like Jamesoniella colorata, Cuspidatula monodon, and a Lepidozia species.

Chemical Ecology

• Novel sphenolobane diterpenoids have been isolated from Anastrophyllum donnianum.
• Six diterpenoids with a novel carbon skeleton were isolated from Anastrophyllum minutum.

Further Information

• Tropicos database
• Biodiversity Heritage Library (reference to bibliography on Austral Hepaticae)
• Wikimedia Commons (image of Anastrophyllum hellerianum)
• ResearchGate (publication on Anastrophyllum rovnoi)
• NCBI