Calymperes levyanum Besch.

  • Authority

    Reese, William D. 1993. Calymperaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 58: 1-102. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Calymperaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Calymperes levyanum Besch.

  • Type

    Type. Nicaragua. Levy s.n. (holotype, BM?, n.v.; isotypes NY, PC).

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants dull-green, in low, springy tangles. Stems to ca. 1.5 cm tall, mostly simple, usually very short and the plants appearing stemless. Leaves narrowly linear, mostly less than 8 mm long, contorted-coiled at tips when dry, more or less straight below; margins thickened, toothed or entire at shoulders, serrate above; cancellinae sharply disinct, often stoutly bulging ventrally in distal portion; cells of upper lamina usually obscure and densely papillose in upper part of leaf, but sometimes papillae small and rather inconspicuous, cells sometimes smooth or nearly so in lower part of upper lamina, at least some transversely elongate, especially just above can-cellinae; costa smooth. Seta 6 mm; capsule 1.8 mm long, cylindric; operculum ca. 1.7 mm long. Spores 22-24 µm, finely roughened. Calyptra roughened above.

  • Discussion

    This is a rare species that is rarely collected. It is like a small version of C. lonchophyllum, usually appearing dull because of its generally very papillose leaves. The leaves of some specimens (such as Bowers 603-a, cited above) may be less papillose than those of others and more like the leaves of C. lonchophyllum. Its small stature may result in C. levyanum being overlooked in the field or being passed over as underdeveloped plants of C. lonchophyllum.

  • Distribution

    Mexico, Central America, Cuba, Puerto Rico, northern South America, southern Africa, southern China (as C. levyanum var. hainanense Reese & P.-j. Lin). Tree trunks, logs; in forests to ca. 350 m.

    Mexico North America| Veracruz Mexico North America| Belize Central America| Cayo Belize Central America| Nicaragua Central America| Costa Rica South America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Panama Central America| Canal Zone Panamá Central America| Veraguas Panama Central America| Cuba South America| Puerto Rico South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America|