Bryhnia novae-angliae
New England bryhnia moss
leaves erect, or patent and twisted to contorted, ovate-triangular to ovate, broadest at 1/7 leaf length or below, not or slightly plicate, longer than broad, 1–1.3(–1.6) × 0.7–1.1 mm;
base decurrent;
margins serrulate or serrate almost to base;
apex acute or gradually to abruptly short-acuminate, rarely cucullate;
costa to 60–80% leaf length, strong, terminal abaxial spine present;
alar cells short-rectangular, to 30 × 12–16 µm, walls moderately thick, region of many cells, pellucid, not reaching margins, gradually differentiated;
laminal cells 20–40 × 4–6 µm, variable on different leaves on same plant, 3–8:1, strongly prorate to prorate-papillose on abaxial surface;
basal cells 10–13 µm wide, region in 1 or 2 rows.
1–2 cm.
inclined to horizontal, slightly curved, 1.5–2 mm.
14–18 µm.
Bryhnia novae-angliae
Specimens labeled as Bryhnia novae-angliae from Alaska appear to belong to B. hultenii. Both species are highly variable, so there are morphotypes in both species that have almost identical characters. The common phenotype of B. novae-angliae has its branch leaves rigidly spreading and markedly smaller than stem leaves, but this is not consistent, and sometimes plants are quite similar to Brachythecium rivulare. However, the shorter, usually strongly prorate to prorate-papillose laminal cells indicate Bryhnia. Bryhnia novae-angliae is especially variable near its southern limit; some plants in that region are little branched. Others, as in North Carolina, have blunt leaves resembling Eurhynchiastrum pulchellum; they differ from this species in having flexuose and shorter laminal cells and larger plant size.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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