Taxon Report

Mielichhoferia elongata (Hoppe & Hornsch. ex Hook.) Nees & Hornsch.

elongate copper moss

Print Report

Taxon Summary

Mielichhoferia elongata, commonly known as elongate copper moss, is a moss in the Mielichhoferiaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Broadleafed upland forest, Chaparral, Cismontane woodland, Coastal scrub, Lower montane coniferous forest, Meadows and seeps, and Subalpine coniferous forest, growing at elevations from 0 to 1960 meters. Mielichhoferia elongata is ranked 4.3, Plants of Limited Distribution, A Watch List; Not very threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Mielichhoferia elongata (Hoppe & Hornsch. ex Hook.) Nees & Hornsch.
Common Name:	elongate copper moss
Family:	Mielichhoferiaceae
Element Code:	NBMUS4Q022
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	moss
Blooming Period:
Elevation:	0-1960 (0-6430)
General Habitats:	Broadleafed upland forest, Chaparral, Cismontane woodland, Coastal scrub, Lower montane coniferous forest, Meadows and seeps, Subalpine coniferous forest
Microhabitat:	Acidic (usually), Carbonate (sometimes), Metamorphic, Roadsides (often), Vernally Mesic (usually)
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	4.3
Global Rank:	G5
State Rank:	S3S4
State List:	None
Fed List:	None
Other Status:	USFS_S
CRPR Changes:	changed from 2B.2 to 4.3 on 2015-11-23 changed from 2.2 to 2B.2 on 2013-06-12

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	20
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	0
Fair (C)	0
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	20

Location


California Endemic: False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Butte (BUT), Fresno (FRE), Humboldt (HUM), Lake (LAK), Marin (MRN), Mariposa (MPA), Monterey (MNT), Nevada (NEV), Placer (PLA), Plumas (PLU), San Luis Obispo (SLO), San Mateo (SMT), Santa Clara (SCL), Santa Cruz (SCR), Sierra (SIE), Siskiyou (SIS), Trinity (TRI), Tulare (TUL), Tuolumne (TUO)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Ano Nuevo (3712213), Bolinas (3712286), Calaveras Reservoir (3712147), Camptonville (3912141), Carmel Valley (3612146), Cherokee (3912165), Crescent Mills (4012018), Creston (3512055), Davenport (3712212), Dedrick (4012371), Del Loma (4012373), Dutch Flat (3912027), El Portal (3711967), Feliciana Mtn. (3711958), Felton (3712211), Forks of Salmon (4112333), Franklin Point (3712223), Giant Forest (3611857), Helena (4012372), Jawbone Ridge (3712071), Kinsley (3711968), Mariposa (3711948), Nevada City (3912131), Sacate Ridge (3611982), Santa Cruz (3612281), Santa Margarita (3512045), Somes Bar (4112344), Tower Peak (3811925), Trimmer (3611983), Tuolumne (3712082), Verplank Ridge (3611971), Washington (3912037), Weitchpec (4112326), Whispering Pines (3812276), Willow Creek (4012386), Wren Peak (3611877)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	0
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	0	%

Notes



Previously CRPR 2B.2; more common than originally known. Potentially threatened in PLU Co. by road maintenance. Commonly called "copper mosses" - distinctive glossy blue-green coloration aids identification. See Bryologia Germanica 2(2):186 (1831) for original description.
Threats:

Taxonomy:

Selected References

CRPR List Change on 2015-11-23

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 27 January 2025].