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BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary


Bartramia aprica
rigid apple moss

 
Scientific Name: Bartramia aprica Müll. Hal.
Scientific Name Synonyms: Bartramia stricta
English Name: rigid apple moss
 
Classification / Taxonomy
Scientific Name - Concept Reference: Anderson, L.E., H.A. Crum, and W.R. Buck. 1990. List of the mosses of North America north of Mexico. The Bryologist 93(4):448-499.
Classification Level: Species
Species Group: Bryophyte
Species Code: BARTAPR
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
Plantae Bryophyta Bryopsida Bryales Bartramiaceae
   
Conservation Status / Legal Designation
Global Status: GU (Jul 2006)
Provincial Status: S2 (Apr 2024)
BC List: Red
Provincial FRPA list:   
Provincial Wildlife Act:
COSEWIC Status: Threatened (Dec 2023)
SARA Schedule: 1  -  Endangered (Jun 2003)
General Status Canada:
   
Ecology & Life History
General Description:
Technical Description:
Identification Comments: Plants erect, 1- 3 cm tall, forming yellowish, glaucous green or, when dry,brownish-green turfs. Stems sometimes tomentose below with brown rhizoids. Leaves straight, erect and spreading when wet, appressed towards the stem when dry, the margins gradually tapering to the non-sheathing base. Plants with both male and female sex organs in the same structure on the same plant (synoicous). Capsules erect, globular, symmetrical, extended well above the leaves at maturity, distinctively ribbed when dry. Peristome present, although often obscure. The relatively small size, straight and erect leaves, and non-clasping leaf bases distinguish Bartramia stricta from other species of Bartramia found in BC (McIntosh 2007; Griffin 2003).
Similar Species: Bartramia halleriana and B. pomiformis have curled or crisped leaves when dry, expanding, sheathing leaf bases, stems up to 5 - 15 cm long, and asymmetrical capsules. Anacolia menziesii has divergent leaves when dry, stems covered by conspicuous woolly or felt-like mats of reddish-brown tomentum, and asymmetrical capsules (Griffin 2003).
Provincial Reproduction Comments: No specific information on reproduction is available for Bartramia stricta. As with all mosses, sexual reproduction is by spores that are the primary means of dispersal and establishment in new areas. The male and female reproductive structures of B. stricta are on the same plant, ensuring a high potential for fertilization and production of sporangia and spores. Bartramia stricta has produced mature capsules and spores regularly at the two known localities on Vancouver Island since observations began in 1975 and would be expected to occur at many suitable sites. Byrne et al. (2005) found very few plants with sporophytes, but this may be attributable to the time of year the sites were surveyed or a previous dry year where fertilization was poor. Most specimens collected over 20 years contain sporangia, indicating that the populations are reproducing most years (Belland 1997; BC BRT and GOERT 2007). Despite ample spore production, populations of B. stricta remain rare. Many species of moss produce specialized gemmae or deciduous leaves to facilitate vegetative propagation, but B. stricta does not have any of these. Most species of moss also reproduce vegetatively by fragmentation, and McIntosh (2007) reported seeing B. stricta reproducing from fragments at the bases of rock faces at known sites. Information on spore dispersal distance, viability, or germination success for B. stricta is not available, but moss spores in this type of habitat are most frequently wind-dispersed (Belland 1997).
Provincial Ecology Comments: Little detailed information is available about the ecology of Bartramia stricta (Belland 1997). It occupies a variety of dry to seasonally wet microhabitats and occurs in partial shade to full sun. In small-scale microhabitats such as bases of outcrops it can successfully compete with native and exitic grasses and other forbs, but for reasons unknown it is generally absent from more extensive stands of grassland or savanna vegetation. It is overrun by larger sods of forest mosses such as Dicranum scoparium and Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus when these species become established under invading shrubs and trees (BC BRT and GOERT 2007).
Habitats:
(Type / Subtype / Dependence) 		Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Garry Oak Coastal Bluffs / Facultative - frequent use
Global Habitat Comments: Occurs on dry cliffs, outcrops and dry grassy areas (Belland 1998). In the only Canadian site known for the species, it grows on a low elevation, south-facing, rocky slope in open stands dominated by Quercus garryana. The site is dry and warm. Bartramia stricta occupies two microhabitats within the site. The species grows either on well humified soil that appears to be disturbed, or in crevices of rock outcrops. Thus the species requires microhabitats free of competition from grasses and herbs. Both the habitat and microhabitat of the species in British Columbia are similar to those in northern California where the species is more frequent (Belland 1997).
Provincial Habitat Comments: Habitat for Bartramia stricta in BC is shallow soil, rock crevices, ledges, or vertical rock faces in dry, south-facing grassy slopes with rock outcrops and scattering Quercus garryana, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Arbutus menziesii. Associated vegetation includes Crocidium multicaule, Festuca roemeri, Sedum spathulifolium, Selaginella wallacei, Vulpia sp., Bryum capillare, Bryum miniatum, Ceratodon purpureus, Didymodon vinealis, Entosthodon fascicularis, Philonotis fontana, Polytrichum juniperinum, Racomitrium elongatum, Racomitrium heterostichum, Timmiella crassinervis, Weissia controversa, and lichens. Bryum miniatum, Entosthodon fascicularis, and Philonotis fontana indicate seasonal groundwater seepage. Most microhabitats are slightly protected from direct precipitation. Stands of B. stricta that are exposed to full sunlight tend to be smaller than those with some shade (Belland 1997; BC BRT and GOERT 2007).
Provincial Phenology:
(1st half of month/
2nd half of month)		 Jan: Vegetative / Vegetative
Feb: Vegetative, Germinating, Flowering / Vegetative, Germinating, Flowering
Mar: Vegetative, Germinating, Flowering / Vegetative, Germinating, Flowering
Apr: Vegetative, Flowering / Vegetative, Flowering
May: Vegetative, Fruiting / Vegetative, Fruiting
Jun: Vegetative, Fruiting / Vegetative, Fruiting
Jul: Fruiting / Fruiting
Aug: Fruiting / Fruiting
Sep: Vegetative, Fruiting / Vegetative, Fruiting
Oct: Vegetative, Germinating / Vegetative, Germinating
Nov: Vegetative, Germinating / Vegetative, Germinating
Dec: Vegetative, Germinating / Vegetative, Germinating
Provincial Phenology Comments: Specific information on phenology of Bartramia stricta in BC is not available. As a general pattern, mosses in the Mediterranean climate of southeastern Vancouver Island are fertilized during fall rains and produce srorophytes in the spring and summer. Spores are shed during summer and fall and germinate in the fall and winter. Photosynthesis and vegetative growth can occur throughout the winter in mild maritime climates, but these processes usually cease and plants go dormant during summer drought. This general pattern is used for the checked boxes above. "Flowering" in mosses would here correspond to maturation of sex organs and the onset of fertilization (J. Christy, pers. comm. 2008).
Elevation (m) (min / max): Provincial:  27 / 162
Known Pests:
Pollen Vector:
Pollinator:
Dispersal:
   
 
Provincial Inventory
Inventory Priority: B - Strong
Ownership of occurrences (Known locations): Mixed private/government
Inventory Need: Inventory is still required across the range of Bartramia stricta in BC, even though some areas have been searched recently by bryologists.The population on Lasqueti Island has been revisited and assessed and the population there is much larger than previously observed (T. McIntosh, pers. comm. 2010). Sites surveyed by bryologists need to be compiled in order to focus new search efforts (BC BRT and GOERT 2007). Prospects for recovery will be enhanced if new and larger populations can be found (BC BRT and GOERT 2007). Belland (1997) noted that at least 10 Quercus garryana sites have been fairly well surveyed (including Colwood, Royal Oak, William Head, Thetis Lake, Mount Tolmie, Clovelly Terrace, Mary Hill, Mount Maxwell, Mount Tzuhalem and Nanoose Hill), but much potential habitat remains unknown. An intensive inventory of all oak and cliff habitats on the southwestern BC coast is recommended, and will capture new occurrences of other species of bryophytes and vascular plants that occur in the same habitat (BC BRT and GOERT 2007).
Inventory Comments: In BC, intensive inventory focused on Bartramia stricta occurred in 2005 on DND lands at Nanoose Hill and Mary Hill (Byrne et al. 2005). Populations at Pedder Bay and Lasqueti Island were found in 1974 and 2002, respectively, on general bryophyte forays not focused specifically on Bartramia (BC BRT and GOERT 2007).
 
Economic Attributes
Provincial Economic Comments: No commercial or cultural uses are known for Bartramia stricta.
 
Distribution
Endemic: N
Global Range Comment: According to Belland (1997), Bartramia stricta's North American range is limited to southwestern British Columbia and northern California; Lawton's (1971) reports from Montana, Idaho, and Colorado are in error according to Belland's report. The report does not address reports by Conrad (1956) for Colorado, Montana and California, but presumably these are the same as Lawton's. Known from Europe disjunctly and also in Australia (Belland 1998). . According to Rene Belland's 1998 species status report for COSEWIC, in Canada, this species is known only from one site in Vancouver Island.
Disjunct, more common elsewhere: N
Peripheral, major distribution elsewhere: Y
 
Authors / Contributors
Global Information Author:
Last Updated:
Provincial Information Author: Christy, John A.
Last Updated: Mar 19, 2008
Last Literature Search:
   
References and Related Literature
B.C. Ministry of Environment. Recovery Planning in BC. B.C. Minist. Environ. Victoria, BC.
Belland, R.J. 1997. Status Report on the Apple Moss Bartramia stricta Brid. in Canada. Rep. submitted to the Comm. on the Status of Endangered Wildl. in Can. Ottawa. 24pp.
British Columbia Bryophyte Recovery Team and Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team. 2007. Recovery strategy for the rigid apple moss (Bartramia stricta Bridel) in British Columbia. Prepared for the B.C. Minist. of Environ., Victoria, BC. 20pp.
Byrne, L., N. Ayotte, and A. Robinson. 2005. Survey for rigid apple moss (Bartramia stricta) on Department of National Defence Land on Vancouver Island (CFMETR and Mary Hill) IRF Project #397. Report prepared for Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian Forest Service. 11pp.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2014a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 28. Bryophytes: Mosses, part 2. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. vii + 702 pp.
Griffin, D. 2003. Bartramiaceae. In Bryophyte flora of North America, provisional publication. Missouri Botanical Garden. Available online <http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/bfna/v2/BartBartramiaceae.htm>.
Müller, F. 2014. Bartramia aprica -- the correct name for the Mediterranean and western North American species historically recognized as "Bartramia stricta". Herzogia 27(1): 211?214.
Schofield, W.B. 1994. Bryophytes of Mediterranean climates in British Columbia. Hikobia 11:407-414.
 

Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.

Suggested Citation:

B.C. Conservation Data Centre. Species Summary: Bartramia aprica. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Apr 3, 2025).