Pohlia nutans (Hedw.) Lindb.

  • 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

    Bryaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pohlia nutans (Hedw.) Lindb.

  • Description

    Species Description - Dull to ± shiny, slender to medium-sized plants. Stems simple when sterile, 3-10 mm high. Leaves lanceolate, acute, 0.7-1.4 mm long, 0.4-0.7 mm wide, erect to ± spreading, not or slightly decurrent; margins serrate to serrulate near the tip, recurved, reflexed, or plane; costa ending 1-4 cells below the apex, rarely at the apex or shortly excurrent; upper cells long, narrow, and ± thick-walled, 45-95 µm long, 7-10 µm wide. Paroicous. Inflorescences terminal on simple stems; bracts lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, up to about 2.5 mm long, with recurved margins serrate at the apex. Setae 1.5-2.5 cm long, orange; capsules inclined to 90-180°, 3-5 mm long, cylindric to narrowly pyriform, with a short to ± long neck; annulus revoluble; operculum convex to conic, acute or apiculate; exothecial cells elongate-rectangular, with slightly sinuose, evenly thickened walls; stomata superficial; exostome teeth triangular-lanceolate, long-acute, yellow-brown, ± coarsely papillose near the apex, more finely so below, bordered, trabeculate; endostome hyaline, the basal membrane about 1/2 the height ofthe exostome, the segments keeled, broadly perforate, the cilia 2-3, long, ± nodulose. Spores 16-21 µm, finely to moderately papillose.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 388

    P. nutans (Hedw.) Lindb., Musci Scand. 18. 1879.

    Webera nutans Hedw., Sp. Muse 168. 1801.

    Hypnum nutans (Hedw.) Web. & Mohr, Ind. Mus. Pl. Crypt. 3. 1803.

    Bryum nutans (Hedw.) Turn., Muse Hib. 117. 1804.

    Webera caespitosa Hoppe & Hornsch. in Hornsch., Flora 2:102.1819.

    W. bicolorHoppe & Hornsch. in Hornsch., Flora 2: 102. 1819.

    Bryum subdenticulatumBrxd., Bryol. Univ. 1: 634. 1826.

    Webera canaliculata C. Miill. & Kindb. ex Macoun, Cat. Canad. Pl. 6:113.1892.

    Bryum cucullatiforme Kindb., Eur. N. Amer. Bryin. 2: 387. 1897.

    The single Mexican collection is poor and dusty-looking and except for its distributional interest worthy only of the trash basket. The species is recognized by its paroicous inflorescence, thick-walled leaf cells, and well-developed endostome with broadly slit segments and nodulose cilia. It is very common north of the border and very likely more widely distributed in Mexico than it would seem.

  • Distribution

    On soil (elsewhere, on rotten stumps, tree bases, and peat hummocks); Nuevo Leon (PotosO-—Mexico; widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, known also from southern South America, Antarctica, Australia, and New Zealand.

    New Zealand Australia Oceania| Antarctica| Argentina South America| Chile South America| Mexico North America| North America| Europe| Asia|