Lepidozia coilophylla T.Taylor

  • Authority

    Fulford, Margaret H. 1966. Manual of the leafy Hepaticae of Latin America--Part II. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 11: 173-276.

  • Family

    Lepidoziaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Lepidozia coilophylla T.Taylor

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants of medium size or larger, pale green to greenish-brown, in loose mats or scattered among other bryophytes; stems 5-10 cm long, with leaves to 1.2 mm wide, prostrate to ascending, irregularly pinnate to bipinnate, the branches mostly 3 mm apart, to 1 cm or more long becoming flagelliform at the tips, ventral flagelliform branches occasional. The line of leaf insertion oblique. Stem leaves distant to subimbricate, ovate-truncate, 0.4-0.6 mm long, 0.7 mm broad at the base, concave, quadrifid to less than one-third; segments short, broadly triangular from a 3- to 4-celled base, acute, incurved; leaf cells at the base of the segments 18-24 × 18 µ, the walls scarcely thickened, the lumina rounded, the cuticle smooth. Stem underleaves quadrate to longer than broad, not as wide as the stem, concave, 0.5 mm broad at the base, quadrifid to one-third or one-half, the segments triangular from a 3- to 5-celled base, the apex broad, blunt or acute. Branch leaves and underleaves much larger, with the segments often shorter and blunt. Plants dioicous. Male inflorescence with bracts and bracteoles in 6 or more series, the bracts concave, bifid to one-fifth, the segments acuminate; antheridia solitary, very large. Female bracts and bracteoles in three or four series, the inner bracts divided to one-fourth into four or five triangular segments, the margins entire. Perianth mouth entire. Sporophyte not seen. Pl. 41. Fig. 12, a-c.

    Distribution and Ecology - Habitat: In deep shade in forests, on soil, rocks, and on tree trunks.

  • Discussion

    Lepidozia laxepinnata Spruce, Trans. Proc. Bot. Soc. Edinb. 15: 360. 1885.

    Lepidozia plumaeformis Spruce, Rev. Bryol. 15: 33. 1888. (nomen nudum)

    Lepidozia plumaeformis Spruce, Bull. Soc. Bot. France (Suppl.) 36: 199. 1889.

    Lepidozia brevifissa Stephani, Spec. Hep. 3: 567. 1909; Icon. Hep., Lepidozia No. 23.

    Lepidozia cavifolia Stephani, Spec. Hep. 3: 577. 1909; Icon. Hep., Lepidozia No. 60.