Erythrodontium squarrosum (Hampe) Paris

  • 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

    Entodontaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Erythrodontium squarrosum (Hampe) Paris

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants rather small, in green to reddish, dense mats. Branches ascending, curved, julaceous. Leaves imbricate, concave, suborbicular to short oblong-ovate, abruptly rounded to an apiculus, 0.65-0.9 mm long, broadly decurrent; margins plane or rarely recurved above, sermlate near the apex; costa short and double, usually distinct; cells linear, shorter and thicker-walled in the acumen; alar cells subquadrate (wider than long), commonly extending to the costa. Seta red, 1-1.5 cm long; capsules 2-3 mm long; operculum conicrostrate; exostome teeth broadly lanceolate, orange, striate almost to the apex; endostome smooth, mdimentary. Spores densely and coarsely papillose, 21-28 µm.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 716

    E. squarrosum (C. Mull.) Par., Index Bryol. ed. 2, 2: 159. 1904.

    Neckera squarrosa C. Mull., Syn. Muse Frond. 2: 100. 1850.

    Smaller than E. longisetum, E. squarrosum can be distinguished by shorter, more orbicular leaves, red setae, and striate exostome teeth; the more slender, curved branches are good field characters.

  • Distribution

    Generally on dry dolomite; Chiapas, Guerrero, Nayarit.—Mexico to Central and South America; Rwanda. (Reports from the West Indies are based on mi si dentifi cations. The species is apparently rather rare in Mexico but relatively common in northern South America.)

    Mexico North America| Central America| South America| Rwanda Africa|