Orthostichopsis tetragona (Sw. ex Hedw.) Broth.
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Authority
Buck, William R. 2003. Guide to the plants of central french Guiana. Part 3. Mosses. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 76: 1-167.
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Family
Pterobryaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Plants relatively robust, in yellowish green to brownish wefts; secondary stems pendent to ca. 60 cm long, but mostly less than 10 cm long, irregularly pinnate. Secondary stem leaves not particularly spirally arranged, loosely erect, oblong-ovate, abruptly aristate (the arista ultimately 1-2-seriate, often crispate, 1/4-1/3 the leaf length), ± concave, long-decurrent but dissection usually leaving decurrencies on the stems, 2-2.6(3.5) x 1-1.5 mm; margins serrulate from base of arista almost to base, incurved almost throughout below arista, costa ending 2/3-3/4 the length of the leaf base; cells linear to linear- flexuose, 25-35 x 5 µm, firm- to thick-walled; alar cells mostly oblate in extensive areas, rectangular in the decurrencies, extending up the margins by 20-35 cells, not reaching the costa, yellowed at costa base, adjacent nonalar areas, the decurrencies, and sometimes at ase of alar region. Branch leaves conspicuously 5-seriately arrange erect, oblong-lanceolate to oblong-ovate, abruptly cuspidate (rarely aristate), the cusp ca. 0.15 mm long and often broken, concave, plicate, decurrent, 1.6-2.2 x 0.7-1 mm; margins serrulate above or almost to base, incurved at base of acumen or almost throughout; costa ending about 1/2-3/4 the leaf length, or absent on occasional leaves; cells linear to linear-flexuose, 65-75 x 3-5 µm, shorter in the cusp, thick-walled; alar cells ± abruptly differentiated, mostly oblate, those of the decurrencies rectangular, extending up the margins by (15)20-30 cells, not reaching the costa, yellowed across the insertion and into the decurrencies. Setae ca. 0.6 mm long; capsules immersed, 1.5-2.2(3) mm long; exostome teeth smooth, with a well developed prostome; endostome rudimentary (or absent?).
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Distribution
In non-flooded moist forests, somewhat common, 200-400 m, usually on twigs in the canopy but sometimes lower in forest gaps.
French Guiana South America|