Cyrto-hypnum minutulum (Hedw.) W.R.Buck & H.A.Crum

  • 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

    Thuidiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cyrto-hypnum minutulum (Hedw.) W.R.Buck & H.A.Crum

  • Description

    Species Description - Small, dark-green plants. Stems creeping, 1-2-pinnate; paraphyllia numerous on stems and primary branches, few on secondary branches, simple, 3 (or rarely, as many as 6) cells long, ending in a tmncate, pluripapillose cell. Stem leaves erect or somewhat incurved when dry, wide-spreading or squarrose when moist, 0.3-0.55 mm long, usually gradually acuminate from an oblong-ovate, obscurely biphcate base; margins papillose-crenulate, revolute below or occasionally well up the acumen; costa 213-415 the leaf length, sometimes vanishing near the apex; upper cells mostly 8-12 µm long, irregularly oblong or rounded-hexagonal, firm-walled, pluripapillose on both surfaces. Leaves of primary branches incurved-catenulate when dry, wide-spreading when moist, ovate, short-acuminate with 1-2 cells often projecting at the apex as a hyaline, pluripapillose apiculus; costa 213-415 the leaf length. Leaves of secondary branches about 0.2-0.25 mm long, ovate or oblong-ovate, broadly acute or sometimes blunt, particularly at ends of branches; costa 1/2-7/10 the leaf length; cells 6-8 µm, the terminal cell pluripapillose, not projecting as an apiculus. Autoicous. Perichaetial leaves up to 1.4 mm long, entire or somewhat irregular at the margins above. Setae 7-21 mm long, red, smooth; capsules 0.7-1.5 mm long, oblong or oblong-ovoid, curved and asymmetric, inchned to horizontal; operculum long-rostrate; cilia of endostome 1-3. Spores 9-12 µm, smooth or indistinctly roughened.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 658

    C. minutulum (Hedw.) Buck & Crum, Contr. Univ. Michigan Herb. 17: 66. 1990.

    Hypnum minutulum Hedw., Sp. Muse 260. 1801.

    ?H. schiedeanum C. Mull., Syn. Muse Frond. 2: 494. 1851.

    Thuidium minutulum (Hedw.) B.S.G., Bryol. Eur. 5(fasc. 49/51). 1852.

    T. schiedeanum (C. Mull.) Mitt., J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 12: 576. 1869.

    T. giaucescensSchimp. ex Besch., Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg 16: 235.1872.

    T. tuerckheimiiC. Mull., Bull. Herb. Boissier 5: 219. 1897.

    T. tuerckheimii var. angustatum Card., Rev. Bryol. 37: 52. 1910.

    The branching is most often bipinnate, and the leaf cells are pluripapillose on both surfaces. {Cyrto-hypnum schistocalyx, likewise with bipinnate branching and pluripapillose cells, occurs at lower elevations than C. minutulum and has ciliate perichaetial leaves.)

  • Distribution

    On logs, rocks, soil, and bark at the base of trees, in moist woods, 1000-2800 m alt.; Chiapas, Durango, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Veracruz.—Mexico; widespread in tropical America; throughout eastern North America; Europe and the Azores.

    Europe|