Philonotis elongata (Dism.) H.A.Crum & Steere

  • 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

    Bartramiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Philonotis elongata (Dism.) H.A.Crum & Steere

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants delicate, though elongate (2-6 cm long), in loose, green or yellow-green tufts or mats, tomentose below, laxly ascending to nearly prostrate, flexuose, irregularly branched. Leaves erect- to wide-spreading when dry, 0.7-1.2 mm long, narrowly lanceolate, long-acuminate; margins revolute, serrate to the base, the teeth paired; costa percurrent to short-excurrent; upper cells rectangular to sublinear, up to 25 µm long, 4-6 µm wide, distinctly papillose at the upper ends; basal cells slightly laxer, up to 30 µm long, about 10 µm wide. Dioicous. Setae straight, 2-2.5 cm long; capsules inclined to cernuous, 2 mm long, furrowed when dry; operculum conic, bluntly short-apiculate; exostome teeth lance-acuminate, reddish, granulose below, distinctly papillose above, 400 µm long; endostome segments nearly as long as the exostome, keeled, yellowish, from a high basal membrane, conspicuously striate-papillose throughout, perforate here and there, the cilia present. Spores reniform, papillose, 20-25 µm.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 424

    P. elongata (Dism.) Crum & Steere, Bryologist 59:251.1956.

    P. sphaericarpa var. elongata Dism., Bull. Soc. Bot. France 17:14. 1910.

    P. tenella var. elongata Dism. ex Crum & Steere, Bryologist 59: 251. 1956, nom. invai. (in syn. err. pro P. sphaericarpa var).

    The elongate, flexuose, prostrate to laxly ascending stems and narrow, long-acuminate leaves, spreading when dry, are characteristic.

  • Distribution

    On humus and rocks in mountain forests; Chiapas, Nayarit, Oaxaca.— Mexico; Ecuador and Peru; West Indies.

    Mexico North America| Ecuador South America| Peru South America| West Indies|