Things to bring to a bryophyte crawl: a hand lens, small water bottle to hydrate dry mosses, drinking fluids and a snack, sunscreen, bug deterrent, and always be sure to dress appropriately for the weather. RSVPs are not necessary but are welcome for helping me know how to plan. If you do not have a Mosses of Missouri Through a Hand Lens book yet, not to worry, I will have them with me for sale at the hike. Let’s get some mossing on!
In case of inclement weather: I always keep an eye on the weather leading up to the crawl. If it looks like storms or is too cold or hot, I will cancel at least 24hrs ahead of time. If possible, a new date/time might be set to try again. RSVP’s giving your email address are a nice way for you to stay in the loop. I will reach out via email, make updates on this website, as well as on my FB page (Lena Lichenpold). Please be sure to check your junk mail if it is your first time to receive emails from me, as it may appear there based on your settings.
2026
March
March 21st 2026, Saturday at 10:00am. Dadeville MO. We will meet at Corry Flatrocks Conservation Area which has sprawling sandstone glades. The goal of this crawl is to look for spring ephemerals such as Pleuridium sp, Ephemerum sp, Bruchia flexuosa, Riccia sp., and Sphaerocarpos sp. as examples. These species are small and often overlooked and are therefore likely underreported for the state. Be prepared to do some serious nose to the ground bryophyte snorkeling!
Ephemerum sp. are noticed because of the persistent protonema mat that looks like green algae. The tiny gametophytes are mostly notable when the tiny sporophyte with capsule is mature, looking like a grain of sand.
Sphaerocarpos texanus is an unusual looking liverwort with the bottle shaped involucres protecting the female reproductive organs below. Typically found in disturbed areas such as bottomlands and ag fields, it will be interesting to see if it shows up here.
2025
October
October 5th 2025, Sunday at 1:00 pm. Columbia MO. We will meet at Wild Haven Nature Area, a property owned by the Audobon Society, and follow the moss trail that Louise Flenner so beautifully designed as a self-guided moss walk identifying 10 moss species. This moss walk follows the white loop trail which is about 0.5 miles long. It meanders past a pond, over a seasonal creek, and winds its way through oak woodlands, a restored savannah, and a small, sandstone glade. There will be several additional species of bryophytes from those listed in the self-guided hike, that we can see and learn about.
**UPDATE as of Friday October 24th, 7:00am**
“Due to the inclement weather predicted for Sunday, the hike has been moved back a day to Saturday, October 25th starting at 10am. I am so sorry for the inconvenience of cancelling and rescheduling, but safety is my first priority for my fellow mossers. I hope to still see you there!”
Sunday October 26th, 2025 at 10:00 am. Farmington MO. We will meet at Pickle Springs Natural Area in the main parking lot. The sandstone canyons in St. Genevieve County offer unique bryophyte species to explore. We will look for Atrichum crispum, Diphyscum foliosum, Thamnobryum subserratum, and Syrrhopodon texanus just to name a few.
Registration will be required (via the RSVP form below) for this hike with a maximum of 15 participants. It is on a first come first serve basis. This is a highly visited and sensitive area, making more than 15 participants difficult to navigate.
Atrichum crispum is potentially the easiest Atrichum species to identify to species level in Missouri with its more ovate leaves. It has a limited presence with only three counties having vouchered specimens.
Disphyscum foliosum is a standout when the football shaped capsules are present.
This fun moss is only distinguishable when it has its matchstick like appearance that is due to the vegetative propagules at the tip. It has only been recorded from two counties in Missouri.
September
September 6th 2025, Saturday at 9:30 am. Leesburg MO. We will hike the Blue Heron Trail at Onondaga State Park and see what species we can find in the calcium rich, spring fed waters of Spring Lake. We will meet at the Visitor Center parking lot with coordinates here: 38.061181, -91.226498 Flier
Rumor has it that we might be able to find Porella pinnata, a leafy liverwort that likes moist/wet areas.
August
August 23rd 2025, Saturday at 9:00 am. Danville MO. We will hike the Fern Ridge Trail at Graham Cave State Park and see what species we can find on the sandstone vertical wall. If time and weather allow, we can continue on to the Graham Cave trail and inspect the water loving bryophytes in and around the waterfall. Altogether, the trails are no more than 0.5 miles long. We will meet at the lower parking lot with coordinates here: 38.903069, -91.576386 Flier
Graham Cave SP. The sandstone verticle walls are home to several unique species of bryophytes such as Brothera leana and Dicranum flagellare.
Mosses of Missouri and Beyond 