Campylopus flexuosus (Hedw.) Brid.

  • 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 flexuosus (Hedw.) Brid.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants in loose, glossy-green tufts (1—)2—3(—5) cm high, densely reddish-tomentose below, equally foliate, often bearing short, flagellate, microphyllous branches in axils of upper leaves. Leaves straight or flexuose when dry (the upper leaves often longer and slightly secund), rigid, 5-7 mm long, lanceolate, gradually narrowed, serrate in the upper part; costa 1/2-2/3 the leaf base, ribbed at back, excurrent as a serrate point, with dorsal stereids (as seen in section) distributed in groups of 2-4; alar cells enlarged, thin-walled, hyaline or reddish-brown; inner basal cells firm-walled, rectangular, 4-5:1, those toward the margins noticeably narrower; upper cells quadrate to irregularly rhombic, 9-14 x 8-10 µm. Perichaetial leaves abruptly long, tubulose-pointed from a broad base. Setae 7-8 mm long, flexuose-curved; capsules oblong, slightly inclined, furrowed, strumose, greenish, becoming brownish; exothecial cells with irregularly thickened longitudinal walls and thin cross walls. Spores light-brown, papillose, 13 µm. Calyptrae fringed.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 90

    C. flexuosus (Hedw.) Brid., Muscol. Recent. Suppl. 4: 71. 1819.

    Dicranum flexuosum Hedw., Sp. Muse 145.1801.

    Campylopus paradoxus Wils. ex Hardy, Berwick. Nat. Hist. Club 1868:48. 1868.

    C. sargii Ren. & Card., Bull. Soc Roy. Bot. Belgique 38(1): 8. 1900.

    C. roellii Ren. & Card., Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique 38(1): 9. 1900.

    C. mexicanus Ther., Smithsonian Misc. Collect. 78(2): 7. 1926.

    C. hondurensis Bartr., Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Bot. 4: 351. 1929.

    C. straminifolius Bartr., Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 26: 63. 1928.

    The plants are variable in size, width of costa, areolation of the upper leaf, and area occupied by basal cells, C. flexuosus can often be recognized with ease because of a tendency to produce reduced, microphyllous branches in leaf axils and a noticeable differentiation of inner and outer basal cells that (unhke those of C. tallulensis) have firm walls.

  • Distribution

    On logs, bark at base of trees, and soil at medium altitudes; Chiapas, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Oaxaca, Puebla, Tamaulipas, Veracruz.—Mexico to northern South America; Cuba; North America (North Carolina and British Columbia); widely distributed in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

    Mexico North America| Ecuador South America| Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Brazil South America| Peru South America| Cuba South America| North America| Europe| Asia| Africa| Australia Oceania|