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Re: Christmas Moss
Unni, where did you look up the information on Cratoneuron filicinum?
According to the collection records of the New York Botanical Garden, that
species is found in Alaska and northern Canada, from the Pacific NW all the
way across to Labrador. None of the collection records make any specific
mention of it being aquatic, although words like "glacier" are frequent. The
Bryophyte Herbarium of the University of Oslo, Norway also has numerous
specimens (again, not very tropical). Its also listed in the Catalogue of
Colorado Flora.
Its habitat is described in Habitat Directive 92/43/EEC
(http://mrw.wallonie.be/dgrne/sibw/N2000/home.html) as Petrifying springs
with tufa formation (Cratoneurion) (54.12) , so I can agree with that much -
that Cratoneuron sp. are aquatic, but I think that you've got the location
where that particular plant grows wrong. (also see
http://www.jncc.gov.uk/idt/sac/sitelist/sitename/data/I63.htm for another
description of the habitat).
I doubt that this is the correct ID for Christmas Moss. Something that feels
at home in an alpine ecosystem next to a glacier is not likely to do too
well in a tropical aquarium. I just wish that some of these sites had
photographs and/or drawings of living plants on them as well as just long
lists of names.
James Purchase
Toronto