Orthotrichum bolanderi Sull.

  • Authority

    Sharp, Aaron J., et al. 1994. The Moss Flora of Mexico. Part Two: Orthotrichales to Polytrichales. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 69 (2)

  • Family

    Orthotrichaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Orthotrichum bolanderi Sull.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants 0.5-4 cm high, in loose, spreading, usually upcurved, dark-green, brownish, or blackish mats. Stems branched. Leaves stiffly erect-appressed, rarely incurved when dry, erect-spreading to spreading when moist, 2-3.5 mm long, lanceolate, sometimes from an ovate base, narrowly obtuse to bluntly acute, bistratose in the upper 2/3; margins plane, entire; costa broad, ending near the apex; upper cells 7-11 µm wide, irregularly rounded, thick-walled, with 2-4 conic, sometimes large papillae; basal cells elongate, with ± wavy walls, smooth, unistratose; marginal cells bistratose and short-rectangular to quadrate in 5-7 rows, sometimes papillose papillose. Gonioautoicous. Setae ± 1 mm long; capsules sometimes 2 per perichaetium, emergent, 1.4-2 mm long, ovoid-oblong when mature, ovoid-cylindric when old, moderately constricted below the mouth and gradually contracted to the seta through a deeply wrinkled neck, lightly 8-ribbed in the upper 1/3; exothecial cells ± differentiated into bands in the upper portion ofthe capsule; stomata superficial, in the lower 1/2 of the urn, the guard cells often poorly differentiated; exostome teeth 8, reflexed-recurved, papillose to coarsely papillosestriate with conspicuous cross-walls; endostome segments 8, incurved, as long as the exostome, composed of 2 rows of cells, papillose; preperistome present but usually rudimentary. Spores 17-23 µm, coarsely papillose. Calyptrae oblongconic, smooth, not deeply plicate, with papillose hairs.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 458

    O. bolanderi Sull., Icones Muse. Suppl. 64. 1874.

    Orthotrichum bolanderi is the only North American species with superficial stomata and bistratose leaves. It is set off from its nearest relatives by leaves subsheathing at base, capsules ovoid-cylindric with a long, wrinkled neck, and exostome teeth reflexed-recurved. When dry, the leaves are stiffly erect-appressed. When wet, they lie flat on a slide.

  • Distribution

    On rocks; Baja California (Guadalupe Island).-Northwestern Mexico; western California and Washington.

    Mexico North America| United States of America North America|