Flora of North America species comparison

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Anoectangium aestivum

Anoectangium handelii

anoectangium moss, summer beardless moss, summer-moss
Leaves

commonly distant and exposing the stem; short-lanceolate to ligulate, (0.4–)1–1.5(–1.8) mm;

apex narrowly to broadly acute, apiculus short-triangular;

margins 1-stratose;

costa percurrent in distal leaves, ending in a clear, sharp cell.

dense, hiding the stem, ligulate to short-elliptic or ovate, 0.4–0.5(–0.6) mm;

apex broadly acute to rarely rounded, apiculus absent or of one cell;

margins often 2-stratose in patches;

costa usually ending (1–)3–4 cells before apex.
Sexual condition

dioicous.

Capsule

0.5–1 mm, exceeding the theca in length, ovoid, inclined.

Specialized

asexual reproduction absent.

asexual reproduction by ovate gemmae, sometimes uncommon, occasionally apiculate by a projection, of ca. 8 cells, born on rhizoids in leaf axils.
Sporophytes

unknown.

Anoectangium aestivum

Anoectangium handelii
Habitat Forming deep green cushions on calcareous and noncalcareous rock, sandstone walls, rock ledges, exposed moist crevices, wet areas Fissures in rock, calcareous and noncalcareous sandstone
Elevation 10-3300 m (0-10800 ft) moderate to high elevations (900-1700 m) (moderate to high elevations (3000-5600 ft))
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AZ; CO; WA; BC; Mexico; Central America; South America; Greenland; West Indies; Eurasia; Africa; Atlantic Islands; Pacific Islands (Hawaii, New Zealand); Australia
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
CA; CO; NV; s Europe; sw Asia; c Asia
Discussion

Plants of Anoectangium aestivum often exhibit a comal tuft, and have leaves with multifid or occasionally 2-fid papillae, these dense and obscuring the cell lumens. Specimens from Massachusetts identified as this species are Hymenostylium recurvirostrum. Sporophytes are rare in the flora area. Arizona specimens with blunt leaves have been named A. euchloron, representing a morphologically somewhat intergrading, wide-ranging tropical variant.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Anoectangium handelii is quite similar to Gymnostomum viridulum in habitat, size, general appearance, and production of axillary gemmae (a morphological phenocopy), but is immediately distinguished by its narrow adaxial costal groove. Though apparently rare (California in Inyo County, Colorado in Boulder and Larimer counties, Nevada in Clark County), its small size and similarity to sterile Gymnostomum make A. handelii easy for collectors to pass over. C. C. Heyn and I. Hernnstadt (2004b) provided additional discussion of this curious species.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 27, p. 522. FNA vol. 27, p. 522.
Parent taxa Pottiaceae > subfam. Barbuloideae > Anoectangium Pottiaceae > subfam. Barbuloideae > Anoectangium
Sibling taxa
A. handelii, A. stracheyanum
A. aestivum, A. stracheyanum
Synonyms Gymnostomum aestivum, A. compactum, A. euchloron
Name authority (Hedwig) Mitten: J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 12. 175. (1869) Schiffner: Ann. K. K. Naturhist. Hofmus. 27: 490, figs. 51–59. (1913)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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