Alobiella husnotii (Gottsche ex Spruce) Schiffn.

  • Authority

    Fulford, Margaret H. 1968. Manual of the leafy Hepaticae of Latin America--Part III. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 11: 277-392.

  • Family

    Cephaloziaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Alobiella husnotii (Gottsche ex Spruce) Schiffn.

  • Description

    Species Description - Leafy stems arising from a leafless caudex, complanate, of small to medium size, whitish-green becoming brownish, in dense mats or among other bryophytes. Stems 1.0-3 cm or more long, with leaves to 3 mm broad, prostrate to ascending, occasionally branched; branches ventral-intercalary in the axils of the underleaves, leafy or flagelliform, the latter (as a caudex) often bearing many leafy branches; stems flattened dorsally, cells of the 2 dorsal cortical rows between the leaves very large, 70 X 60 µ, the cells under the leaf insertion also large, the ventral side of the stem convex, the cortical cells numerous, narrow; in transverse section the layer of cortical cells in about 12-16 rows, the 5 or 6 cells from the dorsal merophytes very large, those from the ventral merophyte small, the medulla of many cells scarcely larger than the ventral cortical cells. Rhizoids long, slender, from the ventral cortical cells of the stem. Line of leaf insertion nearly longitudinal, the leaves succubous. Leaves plane, widely spreading, ovate to 1.3 mm long, often shorter, to 0.6 mm broad at the middle, the apex shortly bidentate, bidenticulate or more rarely acute, the margins entire or rarely crenulate from projecting cell ends, the marginal cells long, narrow, forming an inconspicuous border; cells of the upper part of the leaf rectangular, 52-70 µ or longer, 26-35 µ wide, the walls uniformly thickened, without trigones, the cuticle essentially smooth. Underleaves appressed to the stem, long, rectangular in outline, bifid to one-half, the segments narrow-triangular, parallel or spreading above, the cells as in the leaf. Plants dioicous. Male inflorescence terminal on the leafy stem or branch, the bracts and bracteoles in to 10 or more series, the bracts similar to the leaves but with the dorsal third transversely attached and curved forming a dorsal pouch, the upper part spreading; bracteoles like the underleaves. Female inflorescence on a short leafy ventral branch, the bracts and bracteoles in 3 or 4 series, the innermost series largest, the bracts bifid to one-half their length, the segments triangular, the margins crenulate from projecting cell ends, the bracteoles similar, somewhat smaller. Perianth long, cylindrical below, 3-keeled above, the mouth lobed, setulose.

  • Discussion

    Jungermannia husnoti Gottsche in Husnot, Hep. Antill. Exsicc. no. 242. 1874. Cephalozia Subg. IV Alobiella, husnoti (Gottsche) Spruce, On Cephalozia 30. 1882. Jungermannia lancifolia Spruce ms. 1885.

  • Distribution

    Habitat. In light green mats or tufts on moist shaded soil banks and rocks, often with other bryophytes.

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