Ceratolejeunea confusa R.M.Schust.

  • Authority

    Dauphin L, G. 2003. . Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 90: 1-86. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Lejeuneaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Ceratolejeunea confusa R.M.Schust.

  • Type

    Type. Trinidad. Caroni: north bank rd., Britton et al. 581 (holotype, NY; isotype, hb Schuster (fide Schuster, 1956).

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants autoicous, light yellowish brown, leafy shoot 0.7-1.5 mm wide, profusely branched. Stems 50-95 µm in diameter, medullary cells 10-15 in cross section, ventral cells in surface view quadrate to rectangular, 20-45 × 20-60 µm, dorsal cells, quadrate to rectangular, 30-35 × 35-50 µm. Flagelliferous branches not seen. Stem leaves weakly to strongly imbricate, lobe ovate from a wide base, 300-600 × 450-720 µm, margins entire, apex rounded, plane; median leaf lobe cells isodiametrical to elliptical or long-hexagonal, 15-30 × 20-40 µm, cell walls regularly thickened, intermediate thickenings rare; marginal cells quadrate to rectangular, 10-20 × 15-20 µm; oil bodies not seen; ocelli rectangular, 25-30 × 50-55 µm, 1-2(-3) per leaf, basal or rarely seriate (2 cells); lobules 0.2-0.3 the leaf lobe length, free margin plane, apical tooth short; spherical lobules not seen. Utriculi occasional, solitary at the base of lateral branches. Underleaves orbicular, 280-520 × 260450 µm, lobes acute, uniseriate tip 1-2 cells long. Androecia lateral on main branches, terminal or intercalary on lateral branches, in spikes of 2-4(-8) bract pairs, spike 370-1125 µm long; bracteole orbicular, 150-250 × 160-250 µm, bifid to Vs. Gynoecia on lateral branches with 1 sterile or fertile innovation; female bracts obovate, 400 × 550 µm, margins entire or crenulate, bract lobule lanceolate-acuminate, 250-300 × 450-650 µm, margins entire; bracteoles ovate, 370-450 × 500-650 µm, bifid to 2/3, lobes acuminate, margins strongly crenulate, sometimes distally toothed, connate at the base with the bracts. Perianth obconic, 450-560 × 800-880 µm, with five rounded, mammillose keels. Elaters 17.5 µm wide. Spores long rectangular to irregularly shaped, 25-30 × 45-70 µm, low papillose, rosettes complex.

  • Discussion

    Ceratolejeunea confusa can be hard to separate from Ceratolejeunea cornuta when sterile. In C. confusa, the leaf lobes are always entire, the utriculi are occasional and single, whereas in C. cornuta, the leaf lobes can be entire or toothed at the apex, and the utriculi usually appear in pairs. In addition, the presence of series of spherical lobules in some branches clearly distinguishes C. cornuta from C. confusa. The two species differ in perianth type. C. confusa lacks horns and has a perianth with five low crested keels; in addition, the spores are low papillose with well-developed rosettes. C. cornuta has four well developed short or long horns and the spores are verruculose-tuberculate and the rosettes are simple.

    Distribution and Ecology: Known from Costa Rica, Trinidad, Chocó, and Amazonia, this species grows in dry and moist lowland forest habitats, from sea level to 200 m altitude. Apparently well adapted to temporarily dry environments, this species grows on bark of trees, from the base to the outermost canopy branches.

  • Distribution

    Costa Rica South America| Limón Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Bolivia South America| Beni Bolivia South America|