Bryological Reference Books and Publications
Needless to say, this is not an exhaustive list. It does, however include the works I consider to be the most valuable to the amateur western bryologist. Many of the works are available by order through any bookstore. For those books I link you to Amazon.com.
- Contributions Toward a Bryoflora of California: I,II. A key to the Mosses, and A Specimen-based Catalogue of Mosses by Norris and Shevock. (2004). $15 each. Originally published in Madroño and now available through the California Botanical Society. The keys are designed to include plants with similar morphological characters, even if they cross generic or familial lines. Even though California was the central focus, the keys include plants found in Washington and Oregon, but have not yet been collected from CA. Neither the keys nor the catalogue is illustrated, but the catalog lists other references that have illustrations for all taxa.
- California Mosses by Bill and Nancy Malcom, Jim Shevock and Dan Norris. (2009). $68. Brand new, with the unmistakable Malcom style photographs. While there are leaf outlines for virtually all of the approximately 600 species of mosses in California, 291 of them (representing all CA genera) receive closer treatment. It has the feel of a field guide, but most of the photos are through a microscope, reflecting the sad truth that microscopes are indispensable for any study of bryophytes.
- Flora of North America, Vol. 27: Bryophytes (2007) $95. This volume is the first of two moss volumes, with the liverworts and hornworts to follow. It covers Sphagnum, Takakia, Andreaea, and about two-thirds of the acrocarpous mosses, with treatments written by experts throughout the world. You simply have to have this book. In print and available at any bookstore.
- Moss Flora of the Pacific Northwest by Elva Lawton (1971). $47. In spite of it's many flaws, this book is invaluable for the northern western states, including northern California. Available from the Hattori Botanical Laboratory.
- The Moss Flora of Mexico Sharpe, Crum, Eckel, Editors. (1994), 2 volumes.$50 per volume. Excellent drawings, and good keys, with treatments written by worldwide experts. These two books are very helpful in the southern western states.
- Mosses of Eastern North America by Crum & Anderson. 2 volumes. (1981) $423. Probably the most important moss flora published in North America. Just plain required! Excellent drawings, and equally excellent discussions and descriptions by the grandfathers of modern North American Bryology.
- Mosses:Utah and the West by Seville Flowers. (1973). $80. Somewhat outdated taxonomically, but the drawings and descriptions are invaluable. It is most valuable for the Interior western states, but still applies to a large percentage of California Mosses.
- Bryophytes of Colorado by W. Weber and R. Wittmann. (2007) $30. Keys and discussions of all the known bryophytes from Colorado culminating a lifetime of study by the senior author.
- The Moss Flora of Britain and Ireland by A.J.E. Smith. First published in 1978, the second edition was released in 2004 with updated systematics. $120. Most useful in moister portions of the west.
- Contributions Toward a Bryoflora of California: III. Keys and Annotated Species Catalogue for Liverworts and Hornworts by Bill Doyle and Ray Stotler. (2006) $15. Originally published in Madroño and now available through the California Botanical Society. Bill's extremely careful work makes this an indispensable work. Not illustrated, but the text lists the works where illustrations are found.
- The Liverwort Flora of the British Isles by Jean Paton. (1999). $166. A fantastic book, with superlative drawings. A very high percentage of the plants treated in Doyle and Stotler are treated and illustrated here.
- Illustrated Flora of Nordic Liverworts and Hornworts by K. Damsholt. (2002). Apparently this fantastic text is temporarily out of print. Everything I said about Paton's British Isle flora immediately above, must be repeated here.
- The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America East of the Hundreth Meridian 6 volumes.(1966-1992). These 6 volumes comprise the most in depth examination of Liverworts and Hornworts ever compiled. In fact, sometimes there is too much information. They are no longer in print, but can occasionally be found in used book web sites. They command outrageous prices, but anyone seriously interested in these plants needs access to these books.
- Mosses and other Bryophytes, an Illustrated Glossary by Bill and Nancy Malcom. (2nd edition released in 2006). $68. Marvelous photographs illustrate almost every term you can find in keys, floras, and papers. The second edition includes many terms omitted in the first volume which can be found on used book auctions for outrageous prices. Very highly recommended.
- Introduction to Bryology by W.B. Schofield. (1985) $60, but can be found discounted. This is the classic introductory text, and although the science has grown since 1985, it is still a valuable work.
- Structural Diversity of Bryophytes by Howard Crum. (2001) $25. Available from the The University of Michigan Press. Excellent line drawings illustrating all aspects of Bryophyte Biology. You can't beat the price.
- Bryophyte Biology edited by B. Goffinet and J. Shaw. (2008) $63. This second edition again updates the science, including the editor's views on the latest taxonomies of all the bryophyte groups. Chapters on genetic and chemical studies, morphologies of all bryophytes, bryophyte ecology, and bryophyte roles in global warming, condense the present state of these quickly advancing sciences. Targeted toward more advanced students.
- A Catalog of the Mosses of Santa Cruz County, California, K. Kellman, 2003. Madroño 50:(2)61-82. Update
- A Catalogue of the Mosses for the City and County of San Francisco, California, J. Shevock, and D. Toren, 2001. Madroño 48:(1)1-16.