Neckera ehrenbergii Müll.Hal.
-
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
Neckeraceae
-
Scientific Name
-
Description
Species Description - Plants ofsmall or moderate size, flattened to subjulaceous, pale- or yellow-green. Secondary stems suberect, horizontal, or pendent, irregularly branched to regularly pinnate or bipinnate; branches with blunt or tapered and rarely flagellate tips; paraphyllia usually present, simple and multiform-lanceolate. Leaves distinctly undulate, 2-3.5 mm long, oblong-ovate to oblong-lanceolate, acute or acuminate; margins entire to weakly serrulate; costa short and double or none; upper cells oblong-rhomboidal, becoming oblong-linear and ± flexuose below, the basal cells ± pitted, only poorly differentiated at the angles. Autoicous. Outer perichaetial bracts scale-like, the inner oblong-ovate, long filiform-tapered, undulate at the tips, denticulate above; costa single and weak. Setae less than 1/2 the length ofthe capsule; capsules immersed, ca. 1.5 mm long, subglobose, brown; exothecial cells subquadrate to trapezoidal; exostome teeth lanceolate, up to 600 µm long, weakly striolate below, smooth above, subpellucid, with a faint divisural line, the inner plates perforated by gaps; endostome segments rising from a low basal membrane, up to 2/3 as long as the teeth, slender, fragile, subcarinate and perforate along the middle, smooth. Spores 26 µm, densely papillose. Calyptrae cucullate, naked.
-
Discussion
Fig. 556
N. ehrenbergiiC. Mull., Syn. Muse Frond. 2: 51. 1850.
N. hornschuchianaC. Mull., Syn. Muse Frond. 2: 51. 1850.
The Mexican Neckeras with immersed capsules present an intergrading series with N. ehrenbergii and N. chlorocaulis as extremes and N. pachycarpa and N. leptophylla as intermediates. The vegetative and perichaetial leaves vary in a most perplexing way. Neckera chlorocaulis has merely acuminate, straight-tipped perichaetial leaves, and those of N. ehrenbergii end in extremely long, slender tips which become crinkled above. The degree of revolution ofthe basal margins, angle ofthe apex, and amount of serrulation seem to vary with the substrate. Trees are the most common substrate and rock with occasional films of soil are secondary in importance. The position on the substrate, degree of exposure and moisture, and altitude all seem to affect the expression of leaf characters. The growth habit varies from strongly flattened to subjulaceous, and size and branching also vary. The branches may be blunt or tapered, at times flagellate.
Bescherelle's report (1872a) ofNeckera pennata Hornsch. ms. may belong to N. ehrenbergii or some other Mexican species, not to N. pennata Hedw., a species of wide distribution at northern latitudes.
-
Distribution
On trees, rarely on banks, at 1100-2800 m alt.; Chiapas, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Veracruz.—Mexico; Guatemala and Costa Rica
Costa Rica South America| Guatemala Central America| Mexico North America|