Syrrhopodon circinatus (Brid.) Mitt.

  • 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

    Calymperaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Syrrhopodon circinatus (Brid.) Mitt.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants dull, brownish-green (with leaf bases often glossy golden-brown), in clumps u p to 5-6 cm high, not or little branched. Leaves involute and contorted when dry, 5-6.5 mm long; upper lamina about 3 times as long as the lower, acuminate to ligulate-lanceolate, narrowly acute, usually spinose-toothed at the apex; cells of upper lamina rounded-rectangular, smooth dorsally, bulging ventrally; lower lamina widening from the base to the shoulders, golden-brown, the cancelhnae eroded and generally lacking wholly or partly in older leaves, confined to the basal 1/3-1/2.of the lower portion of the lamina; costa percurrent or shortly excurrent, usually with 2-several multicellular teeth above dorsally; margins of upper lamina coarsely toothed, doubly or triply, above; margins of lower lamina entire to irregularly serrate or dentate. Propagula few, pale, fusiform, on the ventral surface of the costa at the apex of narrow, modified leaves. Setae dark red-brown, 8-13 mm long; capsules cylindric, 2 mm long operculum rostrate, up to 1.8 mm long; peristomes obsolete or rudimentary, of imperfect, eroded teeth. Spores 16-22 µm, granular to finely papillose. Calyptrae smooth, 3 mm long.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 141

    S. circinatus (Brid.) Mitt., J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 12: 122. 1869.

    Dicranum circinatum Brid., Bryol. Univ. 1: 446. 1826.

    This species is readily distinguished from S. rigidus by fragile cancellinae ending well below the leaf shoulders and the absence of recurved teeth at the margins of the lower lamina. T h e colored leaf base differentiates it from S. incompletus. (Syrrhopodon circinatus has generally been known as S. bernoullii C. Müll. However, that name belongs in the synonymy of S. incompletus.)

  • Distribution

    On trees and logs in forests, up to 2000 m alt.; Oaxaca.—Mexico; Central America; northern South America; West Indies.

    Mexico North America| Central America| West Indies| Brazil South America| Colombia South America| Ecuador South America| French Guiana South America| Guyana South America| Peru South America| Suriname South America| Venezuela South America|