Funaria hygrometrica Hedw. var. hygrometrica

  • Authority

    Sharp, Aaron J., et al. 1994. The Moss Flora of Mexico. Part One: Sphagnales to Bryales. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 69 (1): 1-452.

  • Family

    Funariaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Funaria hygrometrica Hedw. var. hygrometrica

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants rarely more than 10 mm high. Leaves erect, concave, oblong-ovate to broadly obovate, acute, apiculate, or short-acuminate; margins entire or slightly sinuate-serrulate above; costa subpercurrent to short-excurrent. Setae (12-) 20-45(-80) mm long, slender, often strongly curved-flexuose; capsules 2-3.5 mm long, strongly inclined and curved-asymmetric, oblique-mouthed, broadly pyriform from a wellmarked, sulcate neck; annulus large and revoluble; operculum plano-convex; peristome teeth sigmoid-curved, strongly appendiculate, joined at the apex; endostome segments about 2/3 as long as the teeth, papillose-striolate. Spores (11—)14—20(-24) µm, spherical, smooth, translucent.

  • Discussion

    Figs. 322, 323a

    F. hygrometrica Hedw., Sp. Muse. 172. 1801.

    F. convoluta Hampe, Linnaea 30: 455. 1860.

    F. megapoda C. Mull., Bull. Herb. Boissier 5: 175. 1897.

    F. orthopodaTher., Smithsonian Misc. Collect. 81(1): 5. 1928.

    F. hygrometricavar. convoluta (Hampe) Grout, Moss Fl. N. Amer. 2: 85. 1935.

    The species is quite variable as well as widely distributed. Such names as Funaria megapoda and F. orthopoda most likely fall into a range of variation allowable in F. hygrometrica.

  • Distribution

    On soil, often in disturbed or burned sites, occasionally in cracks of rocky substrates at altitudes up to 3700 m alt.; Baja California, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Distrito Federal, Durango, Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacan, Mexico, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz.—Cosmopolitan, especially in temperate latitudes (largely represented in the tropics by the var. calvescens).