Jagged Notchwort
One of the most attractive leafy liverworts is a fairly common species named jagged notchwort (Lophozia incisa). It frequently occurs on decayed logs in sheltered microsites in forests at high elevations or in climatically wetter areas near the coast or the interior wetbelt where it is unlikely to dry out for any length of time. It often grows with other species of liverworts including other species of Lophozia. Most species of Lophozia have a distinct number of leaf lobes (usually 2 but sometimes 3- and 4-lobed leaves).
Jagged notchwort differs in that the leaf margins tend to be more “ragged” as though they’ve been torn off and the number of lobes is less obvious. This species is also distinguished from most other species of Lophozia by the bluish-green colour of the leaves that are often distinct from surrounding mosses and liverworts. It also looks more delicate and fragile.
The leaves are only one-cell layer thick and the individual leaf cells are quite large in size and can often be distinguished with a good hand lens.
Look for this liverwort on the shaded lower side of well-decayed logs in the forest growing with finger-leaf liverwort (Blepharostoma trichopyllum) or tumid notchwort (Lophozia ventricosa).