Pohlia oerstediana (Müll.Hal.) A.J.Shaw
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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
Bryaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Shiny to dull, robust, green to whitish-green plants in deep tufts. Stems simple or forking w h e n sterile, 7-28 mm high, densely foliate. Leaves erect to erect-spreading (generally imbricate), 1.5-2.5 mm long, 0.5-1.1 mm wide, lanceolate, long-acute to acuminate, not or slightly decurrent; margins plane to ± reflexed, ± coarsely serrate in the upper half, entire to serrulate below; costa ending 1-5 cells below the apex; upper cells 90-125 µm long, 7-9 µm wide, linear-rhomboidal, vermicular, thin-walled. Paroicous. Inflorescences terminal on simple stems, the bracts lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, up to 5 mm long, with ± recurved margins coarsely serrate near the apex. Setae 1.5-2.5 cm high, orange to orange-red; capsules inclined about 45°, 4-6 mm long, broadly cylindric to pyriform, with the neck well developed but not or scarcely narrowed from the urn; annulus of 2-3 rows of cells; operculum conic to convex, acute to apiculate; exothecial cells elongate-rectangular, with slightly sinuose, evenly thickened walls; stomata superficial; exostome teeth lanceolate, longacute, yellow to yellow-brown, ± coarsely papillose near the tip, more finely so below, bordered, trabeculate; endostome hyaline, the basal membrane about half the height of the exostome, the segments keeled and broadly to rather narrowly perforate, the cilia 2-3, long, ± nodulose. Spores 19-25 µm, coarsely papillose.
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Discussion
Fig. 387i-p
P. oerstediana (C. Mull.) Shaw, Contr. Univ. Michigan Herb. 15:238. 1982.
Bryum oerstedianumC. Miill., Syn. Muse. Frond. 2: 583. 1851.
In this, the largest Pohlia in Central America, the stems commonly reach 2-3 cm in height. A s compared with P. cruda, it is much larger and less shiny, and its leaves are erect, lanceolate, and long-acute, with margins more coarsely serrate near the apex and frequently reflexed. All Guatemalan specimens assigned to P. cruda by Bartram (1949b) belong here, as do most Mexican specimens so named. In sporophytic features P. oerstediana agrees with P. cruda, although the endostome segments are more variable in development, sometimes being scarcely split along the keel.
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Distribution
On soil, rocks, rotting logs, or bark at high elevations; Mexico (Nevado de Toluca, Popocatepetl), Puebla, Oaxaca, Veracruz.—Mexico; Guatemala and Costa Rica.
Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Costa Rica South America|