Tortula mniifolia (Sull.) 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

    Pottiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Tortula mniifolia (Sull.) Mitt.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants in loose or dense, brownish-green tufts 2-3 mm tall in depauperate forms or as much as 8 mm in mesic or hydric forms. Leaves crisped and twisted when dry, loosely spreading when moist, those of small forms 1-1.5 mm long and 0.75-1.25 mm wide, of larger forms 3-4 mm long and 1-2 mm wide, oblong, oblong-lingulate, or obovate, narrowed at the insertion, emarginate, rounded, or acute (sometimes shortly pointed); margins plane, entire or slightly denticulate at the apex; costa slender, brown or yellow, smooth, ending a few cells below the apex or confluent with the border at the apex; upper cells 22-40 x 15-30 µm, irregularly rectangular to hexagonal, thin-walled, smooth; marginal cells yellow to red, linear, thick-walled, and 4-6-stratose; basal cells gradually differentiated. Dioicous. Setae 8-12 mm long, red; capsules about 2 mm long, straight, with an abrupt neck, red; operculum about 1.5 mm long, red; peristome about 1 mm long, red, straight or slightly twisted, the basal membrane only 20-60 µm high. Spores 11-13 µm, finely papillose. Calyptrae about 2 mm long, red or yellow.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 236

    T. mniifolia (Sull.) Mitt., J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 12:167.1869.

    Barbula mniifolia., Proc. Amer. Acad. 5: 277.1861.

    Dolotortula mniifolia (Sull.) Zand., Phytologia 65: 426. 1989.

    Tortula mniifolia resembles a Mnium in habit and in having smooth leaf cells and a border of linear cells. (A presumed relative from the Dominican Republic, T. domingensis Ther., is, in fact, a Mnium.) Tortula heteroloma of western Mexico has pluripapillose leaf cells and a less differentiated border but otherwise resembles T. mniifolia.

  • Distribution

    On wet rocks and soil in canyons near streams and on moist soil of banks and roadcuts at low to medium elevations; Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Tabasco, Veracruz.—Mexico; Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica; Venezuela to northern Peru and Bolivia; reported from Brazil; Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad.

    Trinidad and Tobago South America| Puerto Rico South America| Dominican Republic South America| Haiti South America| Jamaica South America| Cuba South America| Brazil South America| Bolivia South America| Peru South America| Colombia South America| Ecuador South America| Costa Rica South America| Venezuela South America| Honduras Central America| Guatemala Central America| Mexico North America|