Pohlia elongata Hedw.

  • 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 elongata Hedw.

  • Description

    Species Description - Dull-green plants, rather stiff when dry. Stems 3-12 mm high, simple or forked at base when sterile. Leaves erect- to ± wide-spreading, 0.8-1.7 mm long, 0.3-0.6 mm wide, lanceolate, acute, slightly decurrent; margins serrate to serrulate near the apex; costa ending 1-4 cells below the apex; upper cells long, narrow, and ± thick-walled, 45-95 µm long, 7-10 µm wide. Paroicous (or, elsewhere, sometimes autoicous or dioicous). Inflorescences terminal on simple or innovating stems; bracts lanceolate to linear-lanceolate with cells some what longer than on lower leaves and margins recurved. Setae 2-3 cm long; capsules erect or inclined as much as 180°, 6.5 mm long, ± elongate and narrowly pyriform, with the neck well developed and ± abruptly narrowed from the urn; annulus revoluble; operculum high-conic, acute to ± blunt; exothecial cells elongate-rectangular, with slightly sinuose, evenly thickened walls; stomata superficial; exostome teeth lanceolate, acute to acuminate, yellow to brown, ± coarsely papillose near the apex, more finely papillose below, bordered, trabeculate; endostome hyaline, the basal membrane less than 1/3 to about 1/2 the height ofthe exostome, segments keeled and narrowly perforate, and cilia short or rarely long and nodulose. Spores 16-23 µm, papillose.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 389

    P. elongata Hedw., Sp. Muse 171. 1801.

    Bryum cylindricumDicks., Pl. Crypt. Brit. 4: 12. 1801.

    B. elongatum (Hedw.) With., Syst. Arr. Brit. Pl. ed. 4, 3: 815. 1801.

    Leskea elongata (Hedw.) Web. & Mohr, Ind. Mus. Pl. Crypt. 3.1803.

    Mnium elongatum (Hedw.) P.-Beauv., Prodr. Aetheog. 75. 1805.

    Pohlia tenella Hoppe & Hornsch. in Hornsch., Flora 2: 95. 1819.

    P. cylindrica (Dicks.) Hornsch., Flora 2: 93 1819.

    P. acuminata Hoppe & Hornsch. in Hornsch., Flora 2: 94 1819.

    P. polymorpha Hoppe & Hornsch. in Hornsch., Flora 2: 100. 1819.

    Neckera elongata (Hedw.) Schwaegr., [Linnaeus'] Sp. Pl. ed. 4,5:48. 1830.

    Bryum integridens C. Miill., Syn. Muse Frond. 1: 338. 1848.

    B. spectabile C. Mull., Syn. Muse Frond. 2: 583. 1851.

    Webera muelleriana Schimp. ex Besch., Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg 16: 196.1872.

    W. cylindrica Schimp. ex Besch., Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat.. Cherbourg 16: 196. 1872.

    W. spectabilis (C. Miill.) Besch., Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg 16: 196.1872.

    W. integridens (C. Mull.) Besch., Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg 16: 196. 1872.

    Pohlia muelleriana (Schimp. ex Besch.) Broth, in E. & P., Nat. Pfl. 1(3): 547. 1903.

    P. spectabilis (C. Mull.) Broth, in E. & P., Nat. Pfl. 1(3): 547. 1903.

    P. integridens (C. Mull.) Broth, in E. & P., Nat. Pfl. 1(3): 547. 1903.

    P. cylindrica (Schimp. exBesch.) Broth, in E. & P., Nat. Pfl. 1 (3): 547. 1903. non (Dicks.) Hornsch., 1819.

    P. zacatecanaVVilliams, Bryologist 26: 33.1923.

    The long-necked capsule, endostome with narrowly perforate (or entire) segments, paroicous sexuality, and thickwalled leaf cells give definition to the species. Capsule shape varies from very shortly pyriform in var. greenii (Brid.) Shaw (not known from Mexico) to long and linear-cylindric in forms often referred to Pohlia spectabilis (included here in synonymy).

    The peristome is less reduced than in Pohlia papillosa, P. pseudobarbula, or P. richardsii, all of which generally lack cilia and have segments little slit, if at all. Unlike P. papillosa and its relatives, P. elongata and related, more northern species have exostome teeth bordered and trabeculate. These two groups of species may represent independent lines of peristome simplification.

  • Distribution

    On soil on banks of roads and paths, rotting logs, and bases of trees at 1300-4300 m alt., most commonly in pine and oak zones; Baja California, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Durango, Distrito Federal, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Queretaro, Sonora, Tlaxcala, Veracruz.—Mexico; across the northern continents and southward in the mountains to South America; Dominican Republic; reported from Africa and Madagascar.

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