Austinia tenuinervis Müll.Hal.
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Authority
Buck, William R. 1998. Pleurocarpous mosses of the West Indies. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 82: 1-400.
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Family
Myriniaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Plants very small and slender, in somewhat lustrous, green, compact mats. Stems creeping, to ca. 1.5 cm long, freely and irregularly branched, the branches horizontal, elongate, subterete; in cross-section with all cells similar, 8-10 cells across, or with 2-3 rows of small thick-walled cells surrounding slightly larger somewhat thinner-walled cells, central strand none; pseudoparaphyllia broadly foliose; axillary hairs with 1-2 short hyaline basal cells and a single somewhat elongate hyaline distal cell. Stem and branch leaves similar, crowded, erect to erect-spreading dry or moist, more turgid when moist, ovate-lanceolate, 0.28-0.40 X 0.12-0.19 mm, short- to long-acuminate on the same branch, slightly concave, short-decurrent by 1-2 cells; margins serrulate above, serrulate-crenulate below except for basal 2-3 cells, plane; costa single, slender, ending slightly below midleaf, 1 cell thick above, 2 cells thick below, smooth or prorulose at upper ends of cells; cells rhombic to oblong-hexagonal, smooth; alar cells gradually differentiated, subquadrate, not reaching the costa. Asexual propagula none. Autoicous. Perichaetial leaves sheathing, lanceolate, acuminate; margins serrulate above or nearly to base, plane; costa none or single and weak; cells oblong-hexagonal to oblong-rhomboidal, smooth. Setae elongate, slender, smooth, reddish brown; capsules erect, symmetric, short-cylindric, reddish brown; exothecial cells quadrate to rectangular; annulus not differentiated; operculum conic to rostrate; columella cylindric, not expanded at apex, short, ending below midum; peristome single (endostomial), attached at the mouth, endostome with a low basal membrane, segments scarcely or not keeled, perforate, occasionally bifid above, cilia none. Spores spherical, papillose. Calyptrae cucullate, naked or with a few erect hairs, slightly roughened above.
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Discussion
1. Austinia tenuinervis (Mitt.) Müll. Hal., Linnaea 39: 439. 1875; Hypnum tenuinerve Mitt., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 12: 549. 1869; Clasmatodon trichelyma Sull. ex Müll. Hal., Linnaea 39: 439. 1875, nom. nud. in syn. Plate 108, figures 1-7 Discussion. Austinia tenuinervis, despite the small size of the plants, is more obvious than might be expected because of its growth in dense patches. It has ovate-lanceolate leaves with a weak costa and short cells. The capsules are erect and the peristome consists only of endostome. Austinia tenuinervis is likely to be confused only with Helicodontium capillare, but in that species the plants are larger and the costa is stronger. Separating the genera, the peristome in Helicodontium is double, whereas in Austinia it is single and endostomial. Fortunately both genera are often fertile.
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Distribution
Range. Southeastern Mexico, Brazil, Peru; Cuba; growing on tree trunks, in open forests, at 250-750 m.
Mexico North America| Brazil South America| Cuba South America| Peru South America|