Orthotrichum anomalum Hedw.
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Authority
Sharp, Aaron J., et al. 1994. The Moss Flora of Mexico. Part Two: Orthotrichales to Polytrichales. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 69 (2)
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Family
Orthotrichaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Plants 0.6-2.5 cm high, in dark-, ohve-green, or brown tufts and cushions. Stems irregularly branched 1-4 times. Leaves stiff, erect-appressed when dry, spreading when moist, 2-3.8 mm long, elongate-lanceolate, lanceolate, or narrowly oblong-lanceolate, acute, bluntly acute, or narrowly obtuse, unistratose; margins usually recurved-revolute to near the apex, entire; costa broad, ending just below the apex; upper cells 9-14 µm, irregularly hexagonal to hexagonal-elliptic, with slightly to moderately thickened walls and 1-3 small, conic papillae; basal cells long-rectangular to rectangular, sometimes slightly nodose, grading to short-rectangular and subquadrate at the margins. Gonioautoicous. Setae 1-3 mm long, twisted; capsules exserted, 1.8-2.4 mm long, oblong-cylindric to cylindric, usually with 8 long ribs extending 1/2-2/3 the length of the capsule and 8 short alternating ribs, the latter sometimes lacking, scarcely or not constricted below the mouth, contracted to the seta through a long neck, usually tan; exothecial cells differentiated in 8 or sometimes 16 orange bands 2-4 cells wide for half the length of the capsule; stomata immersed in middle and lower portions ofthe capsule, 1/2-3/4-covered by protruding subsidiary cells; peristome usually single; exostome teeth 16, rarely united in 8 pairs, erect or absent when old, finely horizontally striate below, vertically striate above; endostome, usually none, but if present, consisting of 1 row of smooth, rudimentary segments; preperistome often present. Spores 11-15 µm, moderately papillose. Calyptrae smooth, oblong-conic, scarcely plicate, with few or sometimes numerous papillose hairs.
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Discussion
Fig. 459
O. anomalum Hedw., Sp. Muse. 162. 1801.
This and O. cupulatum are the only saxicolous species known from eastern Mexico. Orthotrichum anomalum has unistratose leaves and exserted, cylindric capsules with 8 long and 8 short ribs (in at least some capsules in each population, although the short ribs are not always conspicuous). It is possible that O. pellucidum Lindb. (O. jamesianum James) may be found in drier portions of northern Mexico. It has blunt, ligulate-oblong, glaucous leaves with large, forked papillae and oblong, shortly exserted, 8-ribbed capsules. Orthotrichum hallii of western Mexico has bistratose leaves and emergent, 8-ribbed capsules.
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Distribution
On dry boulders and cliff faces in open habitats in montane Pinus and Quercus forests; Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, San Luis Potosf—Mexico; Guatemala; Haiti; North America south to Virginia in the east and northern Arizona in the west; Europe, Asia, North Africa.
Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Haiti South America| United States of America North America| Europe| Asia| Algeria Africa| Egypt Africa| Libya Africa| Morocco Africa| Tunisia Africa|