Scorpidium cossonii (Schimp.) Hedenäs
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Authority
Hedenäs, Lars. 2003. Amblystegiaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 89: 1--107. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Campyliaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Germany. Bayern: Haspelmoor, 20 Jul 1879, Holler s.n. (neotype, M, designated by Hedenas, 1989a).
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Synonyms
Hypnum intermedium Lindb., Hypnum cossonii Schimp., Limprichtia cossonii (Schimp.) L.E.Anderson, H.A.Crum & W.R.Buck, Drepanocladus intermedius (Lindb.) Warnst., Drepanocladus revolvens var. intermedius (Lindb.) L.R.Wilson
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Description
Species Description - Plants medium-sized to large (stem leaves 0.4-1.1 mm wide), not turgid; green, yellow-green, brown, or brownish red. Stem pinnately or sometimes irregularly branched, central strand present or not; hyalodermis present, well developed and complete or occasionally incomplete (in the latter case covering at least 75% of stem circumference); stem apex sometimes weakly hooked; pseudoparaphyllia broad; axillary hairs with 2-5-celled upper part, this hyaline when young. Stem leaves curving ± abruptly in upper part from erect-patent or patent base, ovate or rather broadly ovate, narrowing gradually to apex, sometimes narrowing abruptly to apiculus near apex, not or hardly plicate, concave; apex short- or long-acuminate; margin mostly finely denticulate near leaf apex, otherwise entire; costa single, ending in upper half of leaf; median laminal cells (shorter half of leaf) 14.0-95.0(-120.0) × 3.5-7.0(-8.0) µm, thin-walled and eporose to strongly incrassate and porose; alar cells 2-10(-15), differentiated, inflated, hyaline, thin-walled, forming a small group in basal angle of leaf. Inner perichaetial leaves narrowing gradually or abruptly to acuminate apex. Exostome outside predominantly (> 70%) reticulate in lower part. [Sporophytes not known from neotropical material.]
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Discussion
Scorpidium cossonii was not recognized from the neotropical area earlier due to confusion with S. revolvens (syn. Limprichtia revolvens (Anonymous) Loeske). Churchill & Linares (1995), Delgadillo et al. (1995), and Hegewald & Hegewald (1985) reported Scorpidium revolvens from Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru; because this species occurs only in southernmost S America, all reports of S. revolvens from the Andes most likely refer to S. cossonii, which is here understood to be somewhat more widespread in the Andes (as S. revolvens) than earlier assumed. Scorpidium cossonii is known by its ± abruptly curved, non-plicate stem leaves; its often brownish red colors, especially in the costa and leaf base; its few differentiated, inflated, and hyaline alar cells; and its usually well-developed stem hyalodermis. The leaf orientation of S. cossonii is similar to that of Hamatocaulis vernicosus, and the differences between these two species are given under the latter. Andean material of S. cossonii differs from northern temperate material in two respects: the hyalodermis is occasionally incomplete (covering only ca. 75% of the circumference), and a central strand seems to be lacking more frequently. The absence of a central strand, which occurs mainly in weak specimens in the northern temperate zone, may be due to unfavorable growth conditions for this species in the higher Andes. Because most Andean specimens of Scorpidium cossonii were misidentified as S. revolvens, the most important characters separating the two are worth mentioning. Scorpidium revolvens differs from S. cossonii in being autoicous (S. cossonii is dioicous), in having stem leaves with longer median laminal cells (61.0-140.0 vs. 14.0-95.0 µm), and in having longer fusiformly narrowed ends. A more detailed overview of the characters separating these two species was given by Hedenäs (1989a).
Distribution and Ecology: Colombia (3570-3800 m a.s.l.), Ecuador (3250-3980 m), Peru (4500-4550 m), and Bolivia (3800-4560 m). In S America also in Tierra del Fuego; otherwise widespread mainly in arctic to temperate areas in N America and Eurasia, and known from a few localities in New Zealand. Found in mineral-rich fens and swamps, on shores, or sometimes submerged in shallow water.
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Distribution
Colombia South America| Boyacá Colombia South America| Cundinamarca Colombia South America| Ecuador South America| Azuay Ecuador South America| Bolívar Ecuador South America| Chimborazo Ecuador South America| La Paz Bolivia South America| Bolivia South America|