We have received confirmation that a new moss species to Estonia, Bryum violaceum / Gemmabryum violaceum, was found on our study site at Kämara field. The species currently has no established Estonian common name. It is a tiny green moss that primarily grows on disturbed soils, such as fields and other trampled or cultivated areas.
Bryum violaceum/Gemmabryum violaceum. Photo by: Des Callaghan
The species is characterized by the formation of numerous small, nearly spherical rhizoid tubers (less than 60–90 µm in diameter). The moss’s rhizoids persist in the soil, enabling it to rapidly regrow after disturbance. The species also occurs in Estonia’s neighboring countries, and its presence here had been considered very likely, but until now it had not been found in Estonia despite previous searches.
Locality of a new moss species – Kämara field. In the photograph, mosses are growing at the locations indicated by arrows, and one of them is the species Bryum violaceum / Gemmabryum violaceum. Photos by: Aveliina Helm
The Estonian record was identified by bryologist Tiiu Kupper, and the finding has been added to the PlutoF database of Estonian biodiversity data. The voucher specimen is held in the botanical collections of the University of Tartu Natural History Museum.
A total of 621 moss species are now recorded in Estonia.