Aulacomnium palustre (Hedw.) Schwägr.

  • 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

    Aulacomniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Aulacomnium palustre (Hedw.) Schwägr.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants fairly robust, in loose or dense, yellow, yellow-green or yellow-brown, often conspicuously tomentose tufts about 3-9 cm high; sterile plants often bearing clusters of ± triangular propagula at the end of a bristle-like stem tip (and also a few in a leaf-like arrangement below the end). Leaves erect-spreading, twisted and contorted when dry, 2-4 mm long, keeled, oblong-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, somewhat decurrent; margins serrulate or serrulate-papillose toward the apex, revolute in the lower 3/4; costa flexuose above, ending somewhat below the apex; upper cells 9-13 µm wide, isodiametric, thick-walled, collenchymatous and ± stellate, unipapillose on both surfaces; basal cells similar except for several rows of pale to brownish, somewhat swollen cells with moderately thickened, straight walls at the insertion. Dioicous. Perigonia large, terminal. Setae 25-45 mm long; capsules 2.5-4 mm long, strongly inclined to horizontal, curved; operculum bluntly conic to stoutly and obliquely short-rostrate; segments of endostome gaping, the ciha 2-4. Spores 11-13 µm, smooth.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 406d-i

    A. palustre (Hedw.) Schwaegr., Sp. Muse Suppl. 3,1(1): 4. 1827.

    Mnium palustre Hedw., Sp. Muse 188. 1801.

    The plants may be green or brown with a yellowish cast. The leaves have swollen, brownish cells across the insertion. The gemmae are somewhat leaflike in shape; although more crowded at the tip of an extension ofthe stem, they also occur along its length in a spiral, leaflike arrangement.

  • Distribution

    A species of wet, mineral-rich habitats, in Mexico in a "Sphagnum bog" in pine-oak woods; Hidalgo (near Zacualtipan, Moore, TENN).—Mexico; Dominican Republic and northern South America; throughout Greenland, Canada, and the United States; reported from New Zealand; Europe and across Asia to Japan.

    Japan Asia| Asia| Europe| New Zealand United States of America North America| Canada North America| Greenland North America| Dominican Republic South America| Mexico North America| Brazil South America| Colombia South America| Ecuador South America| French Guiana South America| Guyana South America| Peru South America| Suriname South America|