Endemic to the tropical eastern Himalayas,[5]Bazzania bhutanica is known only from two locations in Bhutan and one location in northeast India.[3][4]
In Bhutan, both locations can be found west of the town of Samtse in Samtse District. The two locations are ecologically similar, both being stream valleys located in degraded subtropical forests at 255–256 m (837–840 ft) above sea level. Plants at both sites were found growing on gravelly, vertical rock faces above streams and shaded by overhanging shrubs.[3]
In India, B. bhutanica has only been found growing at once location, an eastern Himalayan tropical forest at 680 m (2,230 ft) above sea level in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. Plants were found growing terrestrially on the humus-rich soil of the forest floor.[4]
Description
Bazzania bhutanica is a small liverwort, similar in appearance to Acromastigum, that grows in thin, loosely interwoven mats.[2] The shoots measure 15–20 mm (0.59–0.79 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) wide including the leaves. The fragile leaves may overlap slightly or not at all. The leaves are oblong-ovate to oblong-lanceolate in shape and deeply bilobed, forming a "V" shape. Fertile plants have not been described.[2][4]
