Archilejeunea crispistipula (Spruce) Steph.

  • Authority

    Gradstein, S. Robbert. 1994. Lejeuneaceae: Ptychantheae, Brachiolejeuneae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 62: 216. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Lejeuneaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Archilejeunea crispistipula (Spruce) Steph.

  • Type

    Type (Gradstein & Buskes, 1985). Brazil. Amazonas: Rio Negro, Uanauaca, Spruce L60 (lectotype, MANCH, 2 colls.).

  • Synonyms

    Lejeunea crispistipula Spruce

  • Description

    Species Description - Dioicous. Plants rather small and brittle, up to 3 cm long x 1.2 mm wide, glossy yellow brown to golden brown, creeping. Stems in cross section on average composed of 12 epidermal cells surrounding 15 similar medullary cells; ventral merophyte four cell rows wide. Leaves subimbricate, dorsal lobe ovate-orbicular, 0.6-0.8 × 0.5-0.6 mm, apex rounded, plane, margins sometimes undulate especially ventrally, ventral margin curved, forming a sharp angle (90°) with the keel and auriculate at junction with keel, the auricle often touching the lobule or even covering part of the upper portion of the lobule; median cells about 25 µm in largest diam., trigones rather thin, intermediate thickenings 1-2 per cell; oil bodies coarsely segmented, Calypogeia-type, 3-5 in median leaf cells, more numerous in basal leaf cells. Lobules (sub)rectangular, 1/3-2/5 × lobe length, apex with one sharp, erect or outwardly pointing tooth of 2-3 cells long, hyaline papilla positioned near the proximal base of the tooth on the inner surface of the lobule. Underleaves imbricate, suborbicular-obtrapezioid or broadly ovate, wider than long, 4-5 x stem width, apex rounded or truncate, sometimes emarginate, margins undulate-crispate. Androecia with 5-12 series of bracts. Gynoecia with only one subfloral innovation, bracts slightly longer than vegetative leaves, lobe apex obtuse, lobules oblong-lanceolate, about 1/2-2/3 x lobe length, apex rounded to acuminate; bracteoles ovate-oblong, apex very short bifid (to 0.07 mm deep). Perianths with two ventral keels, all keels irregularly crenate-denticulate. Sporophyte not observed.

  • Discussion

    Archilejeunea crispistipula is the smallest species of the subgenus Archilejeunea and is easily recognized by its undulate underleaf margins. The plants grow appressed on bark and are usually rather brittle.

  • Objects

    Illustration: Gradstein and Buskes, Beih. Nova Hedwigia 80: 97, Fig. 2g-j. 1985.

    Pending, G. T. Prance 11860, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown; South America, Brazil, Acre, Cruzeiro do Sul Mun.

  • Distribution

    Northern South America: upstream regions of the Amazon, Essequibo and Orinoco rivers and their tributaries. Archilejeunea crispistipula occurs on bark in the understory of moist primary forest: in periodically inundated rain forests or in low forest on white sand.

    Colombia South America| Amazonas Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Peru South America| San Martín Peru South America| Brazil South America| Acre Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America|