Calling all bryologists

I am hoping to locate other bryologists in eastern Virginia and/or the east/central coastal plain, so I can trade ideas about identification. I am using microscopes and keys and can post photomicrographs of specimens I have collected, that I would love to share with others.

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I know two really brilliant Bryo people and both in NS where I’m from. Is that too far, or will eastern north american bryologists in general do?

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Welcome to the forum!

I used to be into bryophytes. There are at least several serious bryophiles on here from eastern NA on here. I haven’t really seen any of them on the forums though, so you might have more luck searching for them in iNaturalist itself when it comes back online. The user going by dorothy was particularly helpful about giving IDs. Also, since many bryophytes are found all over the holarctic it is useful to spread your contacts abroad. The user georgeg from England sometimes posts microphotographs, and even when not almost always IDs everything posted to species. And then user donut_warfare seemed particularly enthusiastic about moss, and might be worth reaching out to. There are many others besides, but this should be a decent place to start.

I won’t be much use myself since I have been excommunicated from the church of moss for dabbling in the algal heresies. :(

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I’m no bryologist but one of the reasons I joined iNat was in hopes of getting someone who did know more than me to weigh in on my moss ID’s. I’m pretty good with vascular plants but mosses are a recent enthusiasm/retirement project. I haven’t made a lot of observations and I haven’t tried yet to reach out to the couple people I’ve seen who do identify themselves as bryologists here; but so far I’ve got 3 moss posts with microphotographs if you want to look at them, and I’d be happy to look at yours. I’ve got more in the works but it’s time consuming (but interesting.) Not many people on iNaturalist seem to do more than take a snapshot.

What’s heretical about algae, Zookanthos?

Ann

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I got my microscope so that I could ID moss, but then ended up using it to look at algae and other microbes instead. And so now I don’t do anything with bryophytes anymore. I’ve recently started going the other direction too and taking cross sections of vascular plants. I once heard someone make a comment that sedges are difficult to ID, but mosses are even worse. After trying to ID a sedge, I must completely disagree.

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Try here.
https://auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/bryophytes/index.php

Part of the NC Biodiversity Project https://nc-biodiversity.com/

I actually got mine to use for a fungi microscopy class, but I just can’t tear myself away from things with chlorophyll. I hear you about sedges; I’ve been doing class/fieldwork in the NJ Pine Barrens, which has lots of Carex/Cyperus/Juncus etc. species. And sphagnum, which got me started with mosses.

But to really make all my botany friends groan, mention Dichanthelium/Panicum. What a mess that group is!

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sure … send me your photos and I will send you some of my latest identifications

The Flora of Virginia has an easy-to-use key to Virginia sedges … I did find sedges easier than mosses and liverworts

Yep, eastern north american is good

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