Henry W. Coe State Park (HWCSP) is a botanically important preserve in the interior Coast Ranges of California that until now has been overlooked bryologically. Comprising 178 species, one variety, and three undescribed taxa, the bryophyte flora of HWCSP currently represents 22% of the bryophyte species reported from California. Situated along the Diablo Range, this state park contains relictual taxa from the exterior coast ranges as well as rare and disjunct populations from within California. One species, Aloina rigida (Hedw.) Limpr. is reported new to California along with 29 new species records from Santa Clara County and 62 new species records for Stanislaus County further highlighting the state's need for bryological surveys.

Biocrusts are diverse communities with photosynthetic nonvascular organisms that can perform a variety of functions in arid ecosystems worldwide. They have been observed in Mediterranean climate grasslands but remain largely unstudied in California grasslands. Ecosystem services provided by biocrusts could be of particular importance in conservation of rare grassland plants. We conducted an observational study integrating soil and plant data to investigate the relationship between biocrust and a threatened plant, Hooveria purpurea (Brandegee) D.W.Taylor & D.J.Keil var. purpurea. We quantified H. purpurea var. purpurea density, biocrust percent cover, biocrust community composition, and soil properties in 80 × 1 m² quadrats. We found significantly greater densities of H. purpurea var. purpurea with increasing biocrust cover, and no overlapping significant associations between H. purpurea var. purpurea, biocrust community composition, and physical soil variables. We conclude that positive associations between H. purpurea var. purpurea density and biocrust cover are important for managing this system. This information can be better used to conserve and manage H. purpurea var. purpurea and represents an initial investigation of biocrusts in California grasslands.