Campylopus pittieri R.S.Williams

  • Authority

    Sharp, Aaron J., et al. 1994. The Moss Flora of Mexico. Part One: Sphagnales to Bryales. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 69 (1): 1-452.

  • Family

    Dicranaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Campylopus pittieri R.S.Williams

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants in dense, whitish-green tufts u p to 5 cm high, equally foliate. Leaves 5-8 mm long, narrowed from a broad, triangular base to a slightly channeled apex of varying length, denticulate at the tip; costa about 4/5 the width of the leaf base, narrowed to the base, excurrent, in section showing large ventral leucocysts, median chlorocysts, and both leucocysts and chlorocysts dorsally, ridged at back above; alar cells not differentiated; basal cells rectangular, hyaline and thinwalled, those at the margins narrow and elongate in 5-7 rows; upper cells (vanishing near the midleaf) short-rectangular, 4-7 x 16-19 µm. Sporophytes very rare. Setae 8-15 mm long, erect, curved or twisted, pale-brown, becoming darker with age; capsules 1-2 mm long, symmetric, cylindric, furrowed, yellow-brown; operculum long-rostrate, 1 mm long. Calyptrae fringed at base.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 85g-l

    C. pittieri Williams, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 34: 569. 1908.

    Paraleucobryum densifolium Ther., Rev. Bryol. Lichenol. 11: 64. 1939.

    Bizotia densifolia (Ther.) Pier, in Biz., Pier. & Pocs, Rev. Bryol. Lichenol. 40: 26. 1974.

    The gametophytic structure is somewhat like that of Paraleucobryum longifolium and P. brasiliense, but the sporophyte is that of a Campylopus. The species strongly resembles C. albidovirens, which is distinguished mainly by having the costa broad to the base and alar cells conspicuously differentiated . (The green cells of the costa can be seen in relatively recent collections.)

  • Distribution

    On humic or peaty soil and earth-covered rocks in alpine regions; Chiapas (Volcan Tacana, at 3600 m, Breedlove24340, c.fr., MO).—Mexico; Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru.

    Peru South America| Mexico North America| Ecuador South America| Colombia South America|