Identification notes
Odontoschisma fluitans used to be classified as Cladopodiella fluitans but it does share features with other members of the genus Odontoschisma, in particular the presence of pale green flagellae, which are thin shoots emerging from the postical surface of the plant. They have rudimentary leaves and will help to confirm the identification of this species.
It is a calcifuge plant that grows in acid saturated habitats such as and bogs and wet peat, typically growing as individual stems weaving their way through Sphagnum cushions, but sometimes growing in larger patches. The leaves are often rather distant, so that the stem is visible in between them, and they are bilobed to about 25% with broad rounded apices. Plants are supposed to have a bitter taste, but it is often difficult to find enough material to test this out!
The main source of confusion is Gymnocolea inflata which grows in similar habitats, is more common, and also has rounded leaf lobes. Typically it forms patches rather than growing through Sphagnum. The large and easily detached perianths of G.inflata are not always present, but flagellae are absent, and the leaves tend to be not as distant as in O.fluitans, with a tendency to concavity, especially seen in older leaves.
Odontoschisma francisci is a rarer plant of moist peaty banks, with concave leaves and gemmae.
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