Porotrichum longirostre (Hook.) Mitt.

  • 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

    Neckeraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Porotrichum longirostre (Hook.) Mitt.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants up to 6 cm tall, irregularly bipinnate from a stipitate base; branches typically complanate-foliate but some subjulaceous and tending to be tapered at the tips. Stipe leaves remote, spreading to recurved, ovate, acuminate. Frond leaves mostly complanate, oblong-lanceolate, acute or ± apiculate; margins serrulate to serrate in the upper half, more coarsely so at the apex; costa 2/3 the leaf length; cells with thin or moderately thickened, irregular walls, oblong-hexagonal above, longer below. Setae up to 3 cm long; capsules 1-1.5 mm long, ovoid-cylindric; operculum up to 2 mm long. Spores 19-23 µm, pale-yellow, papillose.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 565

    P. longirostre (Hook.) Mitt., J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 12: 461. 1869.

    Neckera longirostris Hook., Musci Exot. 1: pl. 1. 1818.

    Hypnumfloridum Tayl., London J. Bot. 6: 339. 1847.

    Porotrichum mexicanum Schimp. ex Besch., Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg 16: 246. 1872.

    Thamnium longirostre (Hook.) Britt., Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 23: 496. 1896.

    T. longirostre (Hook.) Kindb., Hedwigia 41: 232. 1902.

    T. mexicanum (Schimp. ex Besch.) Kindb., Hedwigia 41: 234. 1902.

    Porothamniumfloridum (Tayl.) Williams, Bryologist 31: 113. 1928.

    Porotrichum longirostre differs from P. plagiorhynchum by smaller more evenly spaced teeth toward the apex of branch leaves. The irregularly thickened walls of the branch leaf cells differentiate P. longirostre from P. cobanense. (The latter typically occurs on rock rather than bark.)

  • Distribution

    On trunks and lower branches oftrees, less commonly on calcareous rocks, at 1000-2700 m alt.; Chiapas, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, Veracruz.—Mexico; Guatemala and Costa Rica; Jamaica; South America.

    South America| Jamaica South America| Costa Rica South America| Guatemala Central America| Mexico North America|