Brachythecium oxycladon (Brid.) A.Jaeger

  • 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

    Brachytheciaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Brachythecium oxycladon (Brid.) A.Jaeger

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants medium-sized to large, in thin to dense, yellow-green mats. Stems prostrate, irregularly to pinnately branched; branches unequal, tapered at the tips. Stem leaves appressed to erect when dry, open when moist, 1.2-2.1 x 0.8-1.3 mm, concave, plicate, ovate-lanceolate, gradually short-acuminate to attenuate, rounded at the excavate base, slightly decurrent; margins recurved at base, sermlate above, sometimes also to the base; costa stout at base, tapered to above the middle, occasionally ending in a short dorsal spine; upper cells linear to linear-rhomboidal, 32-70 x 4-6 µm; basal cells rectangular, 10-30 x 5-11 µm , with pitted walls; alar cells opaque, small and quadrate, 6-16 x 5-11 µm, with thick walls. Branch leaves smaller, 0.8-1.6 x 0.2-0.6 mm, concave, plicate, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, attenuate; margins sermlate nearly to the basc; costa slender, ending at or above the leaf middle, occasionally as a dorsal spine. Dioicous. Perichaetial bracts sheathing at basc, lanceolate, filiform-acuminate, up to 2.5 mm long. Setae red-brown, smooth, up to 25 mm long; capsules suberect to inclined, curved-asymmetric, oblong-cylindric, 2-3 mm long; annulus none; operculum conic to conic-rostrate; cilia of endostome paired, strongly nodose or appendiculate. Spores 15 µm, finely papillose. (Sporophytes unknown from Mexico.)

  • Discussion

    Fig. 689

    B. oxycladon (Brid.) Jaeg., Ber. Thatigk. St. Gallischen Naturwiss. Ges. 1876-77:322. 1878.

    Hypnum oxycladon Brid., Muscol. Recent. Suppl. 2: 123. 1812.

    H. laetum Brid., Bryol. Univ. 2: 479. 1827.

  • Distribution

    On rocks, soil, or bases of trees, usually in shaded areas, 1500-2000 m. alt.; Coahuila, Jahsco, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas. Mexico; Arizona and Colorado; eastern and central North America; Europe.

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