Habitat

Pleurozia spp. (including Pleurozia purpurea) is typically found on cliff edges in open sites, logs or tree bases in open coniferous forests, northern bog pools, edges of pools and lawns, or water surfaces.  At a bog Haid Gwaii (pictured below) Pleurozia purpurea can be found at the base of Sphagnum austinii hummocks.

Gametophyte

Overall Structure:

This is classifi

Pleurozia purpurea usually has a red or orange color-tinge.  It forms wormy mats on the substratum.

The colour ranges from deep purple to yellow-ish green

The lower leaf lobes serves as a water sac. It has a moveable lid and it was assumed that its primary function is water storage. It turns out that they trap small organisms such as Blepharisma Observations of plants in situ also revealed a large number of trapped prey within the sacs, suggesting that the species in this genus obtain some benefit from a carnivorous habit.

Leaf cells – note variously sized complex oil bodies and trigones