California asterella
Calasterella californica
To survive intense summer droughts, it rolls its green edges inward to expose a dark, purple-black underside, perfectly camouflaging with the dry soil.
- Scientific name
- Calasterella californica
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Marchantiophyta › Marchantiopsida › Marchantiales › Aytoniaceae › Calasterella
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Shaded clay banks, rocky slopes, chaparral, and oak woodlands.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis, absorbing water and minerals directly through rhizoids).
- Range
- California, USA, Baja California, Mexico
- Size
- Thallus lobes 5-15 mm wide, forming sprawling mats.
- Lifespan
- Perennial (clones can persist indefinitely under favorable conditions)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Urbanization, severe wildfires, and soil compaction or erosion caused by off-trail hiking.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. You can safely observe this liverwort up close, but avoid stepping on its delicate mats, as they are fragile and play a key role in preventing soil erosion on steep banks.
Photo: Ken-ichi Ueda, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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