Calymperes tenerum Müll.Hal.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Calymperaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Calymperes tenerum Müll.Hal.

  • Type

    Type. India. Im Calcuttum, Kurzs. n. (lectotype, here designated, BM).

  • Synonyms

    Calymperes nashii R.S.Williams

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants small, mostly 2-3 mm tall, pale-green, in loose or dense tufts and turfs. Leaves involute and slightly contorted when dry, oblong-lanceolate, 2-2.5 mm long, lacking evident shoulders; margins entire, uni- or bistratose above, composed of broad areas of square green cells exterior to cancellinae in leaf base; teniolae lacking or rarely vestigial; cancellinae distinct, small, more or less truncate distally; cells at midleaf 6-8 pm diameter, finely papillose dorsally, mammillose ventrally; costa papillose-roughened, especially distally; gemmiferous leaves with costa excurrent and bearing gemmae all around at apex in conspicuous pale spheres. Sporophytes unknown in the Americas.

  • Discussion

    This species was formerly known in the Americas as C. nashii Williams. Although it is widespread and common in the paleotropics it is very rare in the Americas, where it is only known from a few collections. It is likely to turn up elsewhere in the neotropics and should be sought in coastal sites, especially near ports, as its American distribution indicates that it has very likely been introduced from the paleotropics. The combination of pale golfball-like spheres of gemmae borne all around on the tips of the excurrent costae, lack of teniolae, small rectangular cancellinae, and broad bands of square green cells comprising the basal leaf margins is very distinctive.

  • Distribution

    Pantropical, but very rare in the neotropics. U.S.A. (Florida); Mexico (Veracruz); Haiti; Bahamas; Puerto Rico; Brazil (São Paulo). Tree trunks, including mangroves, in coastal areas, often along ocean beaches.

    Mexico North America| Veracruz Mexico North America| Bahamas South America| Haiti South America| Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America|