Pseudoleskea arizonae R.S.Williams

  • 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

    Leskeaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pseudoleskea arizonae R.S.Williams

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants in dense, dark-green to brown mats. Stems freely and irregularly to pinnately branched; paraphyllia and pseudoparaphyllia none. Stem leaves ca. 0.3 mm long, ovate, abruptly acuminate, acute, slenderly and rather longly decurrent; margins subentire, irregularly recurved in the lower half or sometimes nearly to the apex; costa strong, forming something of a keel, flexuose above and disappearing near the apex; cells short throughout, rather thick-walled, smooth but obscure, irregularly oblong and rhombic, not much longer than broad above, those at the basal margins oblate in several rows. Branch leaves crowded, erect-incurved and somewhat secund at the tips, shortly decurrent, plicate, rather gradually acuminate to an acute, obtuse, or blunt, oblique tip; margins irregularly revolute below the acumen; upper cells about 4—5 µm wide, irregularly short-oblong and rhombic. Setae up to 10 mm long; capsules 1 mm long, somewhat inclined, curved-asymmetric; annulus well developed; operculum conic, acute; exostome teeth cross-striolate below; segments keeled; cilia single or paired. Spores 11-15 µm, smooth or nearly so. (Description of sporophytes taken from Williams.)

  • Discussion

    Fig. 638

    Pseudoleskea arizonae Williams, Bryologist 33: 20. 1931.

    Pseudoleskeella arizonae (Williams) Lawton, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 84: 351. 1957.

    Lescuraea arizonae (Williams) P. Wils. & Norris, Bryologist 92: 395. 1989.

    Though small, the plants are by no means as slender as one expects in Pseudoleskeella. Recognizable features include the strongly plicate, subsecund leaves with oblique leaf tips, flexuose costa forming something of a keel, recurved margins, and short, smooth cells.

  • Distribution

    On boulders, presumably in dry places, 2800 m alt.; Durango.- Mexico; Arizona; reported from Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.

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