Rhamphidium dicranoides (Müll.Hal.) Paris
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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.
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Family
Pottiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Plants yellow-green above, brownish below. Stems irregularly forked, 5-20 mm high, somewhat flattened, in section showing a large central strand, little differentiated cortex, and no hyaloderm. Leaves incurved-contorted w h e n dry, spreading to wide-spreading above a sheathing base when moist, 1-2 mm long, obtuse to broadly acute; costa ± papillose or toothed at back near the apex, with 2 stereid bands and median guide cells, elongate cells on both surfaces; upper cells 7-9 µm wide and 1-2:1, strongly bulging o n the ventral surface and weakly so o n the dorsal, with papillae none or poorly developed, 1-2 per lumen, simple, hollow. Perichaetial leaves up to 2 mm long, with upper cells prosenchymatous. Setae 6—18 mm long, orange- to red-brown, clockwise-twisted; capsules inclined to nodding, 1-1.5 mm long, red-brown; annulus of 1-2 rows of small, persistent cells; operculum 1-1.5 mm long, with cells in straight or slightly clockwisespiralled rows; exothecial cells rectangular, 20-30 µm wide and 2-4:1, thin-walled; peristome 270-400 p m high, orange to yellow, spiculose to strongly spiral-ridged, the basal m e m brane weakly striate, hyaline to light-yellow, with a ring of orange-red plates inside the mouth. Spores 13-17 µm, light-yellow, essentially smooth.
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Discussion
Fig. 170
R. dicranoides (C. Mull.) Par., Index Bryol. (ed. 2), 4: 164. 1905.
Leptotrichum dicranoides C. Miill., Syn. Muse. Frond. 2: 612. 1851.
Trichostomum macrostegium Sull., Proc. Amer. Acad. 5: 276. 1861.
T. dicranelloides Schimp. ex Besch., Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg 16: 175. 1872, nom. illeg. incl. sp. prior.
T. inclinans Schimp. ex Besch., Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg 16: 176.1872.
Dicranella belangeriana Besch., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. VI, 3:183.1876.
Barbula macrostegia (Sull.) Kindb., Eur. & N. Amer. Bryin. 2: 262. 1897.
?Trichostomum hyophilaceum C. Miill., Bull. Herb. Boissier 5: 191. 1897.
?Rhamphidium hyophilaceum (C. Miill.) Broth, in E. & P., Nat. Pfl. 1(3): 393. 1902.
R. inclinans (Besch.) Broth, in E. & P., Nat. Pfl. 1(3): 393. 1902.
On species of Rhamphidium can be distinguished from others having sheathing leaf bases (namely, species of Pseudosymblepharis and Leptodontium) by short-rectangular upper cells that are usually bulging and lack papillae. Some specimens may show a few, simple, hollow papillae, 1-2 per cell. (This is also the case in R. borinquense C r u m & Steere of Puerto Rico, which m a y not be worthy of recognition.) The basal membrane of R, dicranoides has an interior orange-red ring of plates at the base.
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Distribution
On soil or sometimes crushed stone at low elevations (490-910 m); Chiapas, Puebla, Veracruz.—Mexico to northern South America; West Indies.
West Indies| Mexico North America| Central America| French Guiana South America| Suriname South America| Guyana South America| Venezuela South America| Colombia South America| Ecuador South America|