SafePlants

Icy Rockmoss and its Relatives: Exploring the Genus Andreaea

The genus Andreaea encompasses a fascinating group of mosses, often found in challenging environments. Let's delve into the details of these unique plants.

Considerations for Pets

• Andreaea mosses are often found growing on rocks and in mountainous regions, which may present a risk of falls or other injuries to pets exploring these areas.

Considerations for Children

• As with any outdoor environment, children should be supervised when near areas where Andreaea mosses grow, especially mountainous or rocky terrains.

Nomenclature and Taxonomy

• Scientific Name: Andreaea (with various species mentioned, including Andreaea frigida, Andreaea rupestris, Andreaea schofieldiana, Andreaea nivalis, Andreaea rothii, Andreaea heinemannii, Andreaea obovata, Andreaea blyttii).
• Common Names: Icy Rockmoss (for Andreaea frigida), Black Rock-moss (for Andreaea rupestris), Broad-leaved lantern moss, Schofield's black moss, Schofield's andreaea moss (for Andreaea schofieldiana), Snow rock-moss (for Andreaea nivalis).
• Family: Andreaeaceae (Rock Mosses)
• Class: Andreaeidae (granite mosses, lantern mosses)
• Andreaea is one of two genera in the class Andreaeidae.
• Synonyms/Alternative Names: Andreaea petrophila (modern name: Andreaea rupestris)

Distribution and Habitat

• Andreaea frigida (Icy Rockmoss) is endemic to Europe and found in mountainous regions, including Austria, the Czech Republic, and France.
• Species of Andreaea are often abundant on the surface of rocks, particularly granite.
• Some species are found in alpine environments, such as Snow rock-moss (Andreaea nivalis).
• Andreaea obovata is native to Scandinavia, specifically Sweden and Norway.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Andreaea rupestris plants are blackish-green to black, or reddish-brown to dark brown, and grow up to 2 cm high in dense tufts.
• Andreaea species are characterized as small mosses with stems usually shorter than 3 cm.
• They form greenish-brown to blackish tufts.

Quirky Facts

• Andreaea species are unique among mosses as they lack a seta (stalk supporting the capsule). The capsules protrude just above the surrounding plant.
• Spore size and morphology are important in Andreaea identification.
• The sporophyte maturation pattern in Andreaea is unique for a moss.

Ecological Role

• On rocks, species of Andreaea, the 'granite-mosses', are often abundant.
• Andreaea regularis's pigmentation is influenced by UV-B radiation arising from stratospheric ozone depletion in Antarctic regions.
• Andreaea is autoicous.
• Some species attain a greater height than the typical moss.

Genetic and Cytological Information

• Andreaea mosses exhibit unique spore size and morphology, highlighting the significance of these characteristics in species identification and evolutionary studies within the genus.

Further Information

• Integrated Taxonomic Information System
• Tropicos