Mosses of the Nahanni and Liard ranges area, southwestern Northwest Territories

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Botany
• Main Authors: Vitt, Dale H., Horton, Diana G.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1979
• Subjects: Plant Science; Northwest Territories; Hagen; Voit; Liard; Steere; Nahanni National Park
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b79-037; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b79-037

The Nahanni and Liard mountain ranges are located at about 61° N latitude and 122° W longitude. They form the easternmost slopes of the Rocky Mountains and lie just east of Nahanni National Park in the southwestern corner of the District of Mackenzie, Northwest Territories. The moss flora of the area is rich in the number of taxa; 207 species and two varieties are reported from this relatively small area. Of these, 53 species are new records for the South Nahanni region. A number of rare or disjunct bryophyte species are found in the area. Moss species which are either disjunct or occur at the edge of their range include Arctoa fulvella (Dicks.) B.S.G., Aulacomnium acuminatum (Lindb. & Arn.) Kindb., Andreaeobryum macrosporum Steere & B. Murray, Geheebia gigantea (Funck) Boul., Isopterygiopsis muelleriana (Schimp.) Iwats., Mnium spinosum (Voit) Schwaegr., Psilopilum cavifolium (Wils.) Hagen, Rhabdoweisia crispata (With.) Lindb., Seligeria calcarea (Hedw.) B.S.G., S. polaris Berggr., Trematodon brevicollis Hornsch., and Trichostomum arcticum Kaal. The North American distribution of these species is mapped. Herbertus stramineus (Dum.) Trev., Metacalypogeia schusterana Hatt. & Mizut., Scapania crassiretis Bryhn, and S. simmonsii Bryhn & Kaal. are four hepatic species of phytogeographic interest.