Neckera pachycarpa Schimp. ex Besch.
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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
Neckeraceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Plants medium-sized, to 6 cm long, yellow-green, bearing secondary stems with branches from a radiculose, sparsely foliate, stoloniform primary stem. Secondary stems spreading to suberect, irregularly pinnate; branches not or slightly tapering at the tips; paraphyllia numerous, simple or branched, subfoliose, up to 0.5 mm long. Leaves spreading, complanate, strongly undulate, 2.5-3 mm long, oblong-lanceolate, gradually tapering above the middle to a sharply acuminate tip; margins distinctly serrulate from the apex to the middle or below, the projections nearly at right-angles to the margin, plane and entire below the middle, narrowly reflexed on 1 or both margins at base; costa faint, short and double, or lacking; upper cells oblong-linear, flexuose, thick-walled, somewhat pitted, 28-47 x 5 µm; median cells linear, flexuose, with thick, pitted, sinuose walls, 35-60 x 5 µm; basal cells slightly longer, otherwise similar to median cells; alar cells subopaque, rectangular to subquadrate in narrow, auriculate decurrencies. Autoicous. Perigonia budlike, with leaves ovate, short-acuminate, imbricate with spreading tips. Perichaetia large, up to 7 mm long, with leaves imbricate, the outer reduced, ovate, rounded- to short-acute, the inner long with spreading-flexuose tips, ovate, contracted above and extending into a long, narrow acumen; margins serrulate from the tip to below the base ofthe acumen, subentire below to base; costa absent or very short, single, and faint; upper leaf cells irregularly thick-walled, pitted, 42-93 x 6 µm; median cells linear, flexuose with rounded ends, walls uniformly thickened, smooth, 58-105 x 5 µm; basal cells elongate-hexagonal to rectangular, thin-walled. Setae short, 0.5 mm long; capsules immersed, subglobose, straw-colored to light-brown, 1.75 mm long, slightly constricted at the mouth; exothecial cells subquadrate to irregular in indistinct rows, walls moderately and irregularly thickened; operculum conic, short-rostrate, 0.9 mm long, consisting of oblate to subquadrate vertically aligned cells; exostome teeth inserted below the rim, lanceolate, subhyaline, densely papillose on both surfaces, with the divisural hne prominent on outer surface, moderately lamellose on inner surface, 465 p m long; endostome segments attached to a low basal membrane, linearnodulose, subhyaline and lightly papillose, not keeled or perforate, 220 µm long. Spores spherical, densely granulose, (35-)38(-41) µm. Calyptrae cucullate, smooth.
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Discussion
Fig. 557
N. pachycarpa Schimp. ex Besch., Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg 16: 220. 1872.
Neckera pachycarpa is known only from the type, a mixed herbarium sheet [BM], bearing the locality as "Faro [Fovo]." The collector, Liebmann, obtained his specimen from Jobo, which was wrongly transcribed by Bescherelle. The species is distinct in its long, multiform paraphyllia, gradually acuminate leaf tips, outwardly projecting marginal teeth, and linear to flexuose median leaf cells with thick, pitted, sinuose walls.—For additional information, see D. K. Smith, 1985a.
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Distribution
Presumably on tree trunks, 150-230 m alt.; Veracruz.—Endemic.
Mexico North America|