Macoun's shining moss facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Macoun's shining moss |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Neomacounia
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| Species: |
nitida
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| Synonyms | |
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Forsstroemia nitida Lindb. |
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Neomacounia nitida, also known as Macoun's shining moss, was a special type of moss that is now extinct. It was only ever found in a small part of Ontario, Canada. This moss was the only species in its group, called Neomacounia.
What Was Macoun's Shining Moss Like?
Macoun's shining moss was a fairly large bryophyte, which is a simple type of plant like mosses and liverworts. It grew in long, greenish-brown clumps that looked shiny. These clumps could be up to 6 cm (about 2.4 inches) long.
How Did It Grow and Reproduce?
This moss was a hermaphroditic plant, meaning it had both male and female parts. This allowed it to fertilize itself and make new moss plants.
The moss was an epiphyte. This means it grew on other plants, but it didn't harm them. It usually lived near the bottom of tree trunks, especially on different kinds of elm and cedar trees. These trees grew in wet, swampy areas. The only place this moss was ever known to live was in three spots near a town called Belleville, Ontario.
Why Is It Called Macoun's Moss?
The common name, Macoun's shining moss, was given to honor John Macoun. He was a famous naturalist who collected many plant samples, including some of this moss.
Why Did Macoun's Shining Moss Disappear?
The areas where Macoun's shining moss was found were clear-cut for wood between 1864 and 1892. This means all the trees were cut down. Because the moss needed these specific trees and swampy areas to live, it lost its home. This is called habitat loss. Scientists believe this habitat loss caused the moss to become extinct during that time.
People have looked for Macoun's shining moss many times since then. Searches were done in 1972 and again in 2001. Sadly, they didn't find any sign that the moss still exists.
Macoun's shining moss is the only known plant that was found only in Canada (this is called being endemic) that has become extinct since the 1500s.
Where Are the Samples Now?
All the known samples of N. nitida come from only three times they were collected. These collections happened between 1862 and 1864. At least two of these collections were made by John Macoun himself. However, sometimes Macoun made mistakes when labeling where his samples came from. Because of this, there's a small bit of doubt about the exact places where these moss samples were found.
