Pilopogon tiquipayae Herzog

  • Authority

    Frahm, Jan-Peter. 1991. Dicranaceae: Campylopodioideae, Paraleucobryoideae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 54: 1-238. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Dicranaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pilopogon tiquipayae Herzog

  • Type

    Type. Bolivia. Cumbre de Tiquipaya, Herzog 2655 (holotype, JE; isotypes, B, PC, S).

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants to 2.5 cm high, very slender, not branched, in dense tufts, golden yellowish-green, reddish at tips. Leaves erect, appressed, to 3 mm long, narrow lanceolate. Costa 1/3 of the leaf width, excurrent, in the upper part with a few teeth, dorsally with protuberant cells. Alar cells lacking. Basal laminal cells thin-walled, lax, 8-12 × 40-70 µm. Upper laminal cells shortly rectangular, 8-12 × 12-16 µm, slightly incrassate. Seta ca. 5 mm long. Capsule 1.5 mm long, short cylindric, 2.5-3 times longer than broad, pale brown, smooth. Operculum 1 mm long, rostrate. Peristome teeth 16, undivided, filiform, densely papillose. Spores ca. 13 µm in diam., smooth to finely papillose, yellowish brown. Calyptra ciliate at base.

  • Discussion

    In size, Pilopogon tiquipayae resembles small forms of P. guadeloupensis, which were described as P. liliputanus. It is differentiated, however, from all other species of Pilopogon by relatively thin-walled, short rectangular or oval upper laminal cells, by the costa with protuberant cells at the dorsal side, and short, coarse teeth in the leaf apex. It is further conspicuous by the reddish tinge of the stem tips and short setae with short capsules.

  • Distribution

    On banks and soil-covered rocks in subalpine to alpine regions from 2700 to 4100 m, found only in Bolivia.

    Bolivia South America| Cochabamba Bolivia South America| Tarija Bolivia South America|