Hygroamblystegium

• 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

  Amblystegiaceae

• Scientific Name

  Hygroamblystegium

• Description

  Genus Description - Plants rather small to large and coarse, in soft or rigid, dull, dark-green to blackish or yellow-brown mats in wet places, often submerged. Stems creeping or crowded and ascending, freely and irregularly branched, often denuded of leaves below; pseudoparaphyllia present. Leaves erect and often somewhat incurved, rarely subsecund, oblong-ovate to oblong-lanceolate, gradually acuminate, usually acute; margins plane, entire or nearly so; costa broad, ending at or near the apex, sometimes nearly filling the acumen to excurrent; cells firm-walled, smooth, oblong-rhombic to shortly oblong-rhomboidal (about 2-5:1), generally somewhat enlarged and short-oblong across the insertion, not differentiated in alar regions. Autoicous. Perichaetial leaves erect, lance-acuminate.

• Discussion

  Hygroamblystegium grows in particularly wet places, often on irrigated rock. As compared with Amblystegium, which likewise has short leaf cells, the greater stature and stouter costa offer significant distinction, but the two genera nearly merge owing to variations in size and costal development in Amblystegium varium and Hygroamblystegium tenax.