Leptodontium pungens (Mitt.) Kindb.

  • 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

    Pottiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Leptodontium pungens (Mitt.) Kindb.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants in dense, greenish-yellow to red-brown mats. Stems 2-5 cm long; hyaloderm cells collapsing with age. Leaves erect and little contorted or twisted when dry, spreading-recurved when wet, 3-4 mm long, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, narrowly acute (the apex often composed of scarcely papillose, rhomboidal cells), keeled above, sheathing at base, not decurrent; margins recurved in the lower 1/2-2/3 and dentate above, bordered by a single row of weakly papillose cells; costa ending 1-4 cells below the apex to percurrent, semi-circular in section; upper cells 11-15 µm wide, subquadrate, with papillae 2-4, crowded, multifid; inner basal cells rectangular, 45-65 x 9-11 µm, in the alar regions often differentiated as groups of yellow-brown, short-rectangular cells with thick, porose walls. Dioicous. Setae 10-11 mm long; capsules erect, cylindric, 1.5-1.75 mm long; annulus of 4-5 layers of red-brown cells; operculum conic, about 0.8 mm long; peristome teeth linear, 310-375 µm long, 15-20 µm wide at base, yellowish-orange, indistinctly striate; preperistome sometimes present, very short. Spores 17-20 µm, very papillose.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 197a-e

    L. pungens (Mitt.) Kindb., Enum. Bryin. Exot. 63. 1888.

    Didymodon pungens Mitt., J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 7: 150. 1864.

    Leptodontium acutifolium Mitt., J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 7: 151. 1864.

    A related species, L. wallisii (C. Müll.) Kindb., has been found in Costa Rica and m a y be expected in Mexico. It has an oblong, high-sheathing leaf base with large submarginal cells, and the leaf cells are thickened at the corners.

  • Distribution

    On soil and rock, often at high elevations; Distrito Federal, Mexico, Puebla, Veracruz.—Mexico to northern South America; southern Brazil; Juan Fernandez; Africa.

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