SafePlants

Pellia: A Detailed Look

Pellia is a fascinating genus of liverworts, often mistaken for moss. This article provides an in-depth exploration of its characteristics, distribution, and uses, particularly in aquatic environments.

Considerations for Pets

• Pellia is often used in aquariums, including shrimp tanks.
• Pellia is sometimes described as "jelly-like" in texture.

Considerations for Children

• Pellia is sometimes described as "jelly-like" in texture.

Scientific Classification and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Pellia
• Common Names: Several species are referred to by common names such as overleaf pellia, common pellia, ring pellia, and Endive Pellia.
• Taxonomic Rank: Genus
• Order: Metzgeriales
• Family: Pelliaceae
• Synonyms: Monosolenium tenerum is sometimes used synonymously, especially in the context of aquarium plants.
• Alternative scientific names: Pellia appalachiana, Pellia borealis, Pellia calycina, Pellia endivaefolia, and Pellia neesiana.

Distribution and Habitat

• Pellia is widespread in the cool and temperate regions of the northern hemisphere.
• Specific locations mentioned include North America, Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia.
• It thrives in damp, sheltered places, very moist shaded locations amongst rushes, sedges, and permanently wet acidic or neutral soils near streams.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Pellia liverworts do not have true leaves, roots, or stems.
• Instead, they possess thalli, which lack organized parts.
• Pellia epiphylla has medium-sized (often 1 cm or more wide), rather featureless thalli.
• The midrib of the thallus is often ill-defined, and the margin is not clearly differentiated.
• Pellia endiviifolia usually has green or even blackish-green thalli up to about 1 cm wide, without reddish tinges.
• It propagates by division of the thallus.

Ecological Role

• Pellia is known to grow on wet rock in cuttings and above ditches.

Genetic and Cytological Information

• A population of Pellia borealis in Poland has a chromosome number of n = 18 and exhibits polymorphism with respect to peroxidase alleles PX 1b and PX 2b.

Use in Aquariums

• Pellia (often as Monosolenium tenerum or Subwassertang) is a popular addition to aquariums.
• It is considered a good choice for both beginners and experienced aquascapers.
• It can be attached to driftwood to create an elegant aquascape.
• It provides a natural hiding place for small aquatic creatures like shrimp.
• It grows easily in low to medium light conditions.

Quirky Facts

• One source humorously describes Pellia epiphylla as "hard to imagine a less charismatic plant," despite its commonality.

Further Information

• The Plant List includes statistics on accepted species names within the Pellia genus.
• Bryophyte Home Page and Environmental and Plant Biology Welcome Page at Ohio provide resources.
• APHOTOFLORA offers photographic stock images of Pellia epiphylla.