Leptodictyum riparium (Hedw.) Warnst.
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Authority
Sharp, Aaron J., et al. 1994. The Moss Flora of Mexico. Part Two: Orthotrichales to Polytrichales. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 69 (2)
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Family
Amblystegiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Plants moderately small to fairly robust, in loose, green or yellow mats, sometimes bronze-tinged, often ± shiny when dry. Leaves wide-spreading to suberect, rarely slightly secund at the tips, often ± complanate, usually ± twisted when dry, 2.5-4.5 mm long, narrowly to broadly oblong-lanceolate, rarely ovate-lanceolate, usually gradually long-acuminate to a narrow, acute apex but extremely variable and occasionally short-acuminate or blunt-tipped, entire; costa thin, 1/2-3/4 the leaf length; upper cells short- to linear-rhomboidal, 5-15: 1; basal marginal cells short- to rather long-rectangular, the other basal cells rather broadly rectangular and lax. Setae 10-30 mm long; capsules 1-2.5 mm long; operculum lowconic to convex and stoutly short-pointed. Spores 9-13 µm, finely papillose.
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Discussion
Fig. 665
L. riparium (Hedw.) Warnst., Krypt.-fl. Mark Brandenb. 2: 878.1906.
Hypnum riparium Hedw., Sp. Muse. 241. 1801.
H. sipho P.-Beauv., Prodr. Aetheog. 70. 1805.
Amblystegium mexicanum Card., Rev. Bryol. 37: 53. 1910.
Leptodictyum sipho (P.-Beauv.) Broth, in E. & P., Nat. Pfl. ed. 2, 11: 337.1925.
L. mexicanum(Card.) Broth, in E. & P., Nat. Pfl. ed. 2,11: 337. 1925.
Brachythecium pennellii Barlr., Not. Natur. 229: 3. 1951.
Leptodictyum pennellii (Bartr.) Robins., Bryologist 65: 128. 1962.
Typically the plants have straight, wide-spreading, loosely complanate leaves with entire margins, long upper cells, and rather numerous quadrate to short-rectangular basal cells that are somewhat enlarged and lax. There is, however, an incredible variation from small plants with distant, wide-spreading leaves to medium-sized plants with erect- to wide-spreading, subcomplanate or subsecund leaves and even larger aquatic forms with long, sometimes filiform stems and branches. The leaves may be almost linear but grade into lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate, and rather broadly ovate shapes, and the apices may be blunt, acute, or acuminate and sometimes slenderly so. The costa in narrow-leaved forms often ends near the leaf middle, but more commonly it extends about 2/3 the leaf length or more. The cells may be only about 4 or 5 times as long as wide or about 8 to 15 times as long.
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Distribution
On wet substrates, sometimes flooded, at 330-2350 m alt.; Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chiapas, Hidalgo, Morelos, Nuevo Leon, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, Veracruz.—Mexico; Guatemala; Cuba and Haiti; British Columbia to California and inland to Wyoming and Colorado, also widespread in the East from Nova Scotia to Minnesota and south to Rorida and Texas; Europe, across Asia to Japan; reported from North and South Africa, Kerguelen, and Australia.
Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Cuba South America| Haiti South America| Canada North America| United States of America North America| Europe| Asia| Africa| Australia Oceania|