Isopterygium tenerifolium Mitt.

  • 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

    Hypnaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Isopterygium tenerifolium Mitt.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants in thin, loose, yellow-green to green mats. Stems up to 4 cm long, 2-3 mm wide, simple or irregularly and freely branched. Asexual reproductive bodies none. Leaves flaccid, close, complanate, wide-spreading to squarrose, usually wrinkled and contorted when dry, 1-1.5 mm long, 0.4-0.7 mm wide, ovate-lanceolate to ovate, often curved and asymmetric, acuminate; margins plane to erect throughout, sermlate to serrate above, sermlate below; costa none or weak, short, and double; cells smooth, 71-141 µm long, 5-7 µm wide; alar cells short-rectangular to quadrate, in small groups with 1-2 cells at the margins: Autoicous. Setae brown to reddish-brown, (15-)20-30(-40) mm long; capsules hortizontal to pendulous or sometimes nearly erect, 1-1.5 mm long, ovoid to elhpsoidal, contracted below the mouth when dry; operculum obliquely short-rostrate; exostome teeth up to 2 0 0 µm long. Spores 9-14 µm.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 763

    I. tenerifoliumMitt., J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 12: 499. 1869.

    Ectropothecium longisetum Schimp. ex Besch., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. VI, 3: 258. 1876.

    Isopterygium longisetum (Schimp. ex Besch.) Broth, in E. & P., Nat. Pfl. 1(3): 1082. 1908, non Broth. 1895.

    I. altisetum Crum & Steere, Bryologist 59: 254. 1956.

    This species is recognized by its relatively large size, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate leaves that are often curvedasymmetric and usually wrinkled-contorted when dry, long setae and generally horizontal to pendulous capsules.

  • Distribution

    On moist humus, woody debris, and soil over rock at elevations of 2000-2150 m; Chiapas.—Southern Mexico to Panama; Colombia and Venezuela to northern Argentina; West Indies.

    Mexico North America| Central America| Venezuela South America| Colombia South America| Argentina South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Brazil South America| Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Bolivia South America| Chile South America| Paraguay South America| West Indies|