Phyllogonium fulgens (Hedw.) Brid.

  • 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

    Phyllogoniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Phyllogonium fulgens (Hedw.) Brid.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants in long masses (up to 30 or even 50 cm in length), irregularly pinnate, very shiny, green, golden or golden-brown; branches (with leaves) 3-4 mm wide. Leaves very strongly complanate, wide-spreading and overlapping in 2 rows, oblong, shortly straight-apiculate, 2-4 mm long. Setae 2-3 mm long; capsules short-exserted, 1-1.7 mm long, oblong-cylindric or ± wide-mouthed; operculum obliquely long-rostrate (1-1.2 mm long). Spores 18-28 µm. Calyptrae slightly hairy.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 550

    P. fulgens (Hedw.) Brid., Bryol. Univ. 2: 671. 1827.

    Pterigynandrum fulgens Hedw., Sp. Muse 86. 1801.

    Phyllogoniumaureum Mitt., J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 12: 424. 1869.

    P. globitheca C. Müll., Bull. Herb. Boissier 5: 563. 1897.

    P. goebelii C. Müll., Flora 83: 338. 1897.

    P. fulgens var. aureum (Mitt.) Ren. & Card., Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique 41(1): 81.1905.

    P. buchtienii Herz., Hedwigia 67: 265. 1927.

    The plants are indeed handsome. The leaves are strongly complanate and smooth when dry. Those of P. viscosum are less completely flattened, and they are often irregularly undulate when dry.

    The var. viride (Brid.) Ren. & Card., which has immersed capsules, larger spores, and larger perichaetial leaves, was recorded from Mexico by Lin (1982) on the basis of a specimen lacking information on both locality and collector. He recognized it at the specific level, as P. viride Brid. (which differs from P. fulgens most significantly in having leaves with a recurved apiculus, setae less than 1 mm long, capsules immersed, and spores in two size classes, 18-30 µm and 45-72 µm in diameter.)

  • Distribution

    Hanging from limbs and trunks oftrees or rarely rocks in moist forests rather low to moderate elevations (500-2000 m); Chiapas, Hidalgo Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, Veracruz.—Mexico; Central America northern South America; West Indies.

    West Indies| Mexico North America| Central America| Peru South America| Ecuador South America| Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Brazil South America|