Dicranella heteromalla
Dicranella subulata
dicranella moss, silky forklet-moss
awl-leaf forklet-moss, dicranella moss
erect to falcate-secund, 2–3 mm, gradually narrowed from a lanceolate base to a subula largely occupied by the costa;
margins erect, serrulate in the distal half of the limb;
costa excurrent;
cells in 1–3 rows above the leaf middle, rather short-rectangular, 11–14 × 4–7 µm. Sexual condition dioicous.
loosely erect to falcate-secund, to 2 mm, lanceolate, gradually subulate;
margins erect, sometimes finely denticulate at the extreme apex and obscurely denticulate near junction of base and blade;
costa long-excurrent;
lamina disappearing in the distal 1/3–1/2 of the limb, with cells long-rectangular, 30–40 × 4–5 µm (7–8:1).
5–15 mm, yellowish.
9–13 mm, reddish, becoming dark with age.
dioicous.
1–1.5 mm, suberect or sometimes inclined to horizontal, cylindric, often curved, asymmetric, tapered at the neck, usually ± obliquely furrowed and constricted on 1 side below an oblique mouth;
annulus consisting of 1 row of small cells, persistent;
operculum long-rostrate;
peristome teeth 400–500 µm, divided 1/2 length distally.
0.7–1 mm, inclined or nodding, asymmetric, striate, not strumose;
annulus compound;
operculum ca. 1 mm, slenderly curved-rostrate from a conic base;
peristome teeth 400 µm, divided 1/2 way length distally.
14–18 µm, faintly roughened.
16–18 µm, minutely roughened.
leaves to 3 mm, flexuose-spreading to squarrose, abruptly subulate from an oblong-sheathing base, finely erose or denticulate at the shoulders.
Dicranella heteromalla
Dicranella subulata
Dicranella heteromalla is a common species recognized by suberect, obliquely furrowed capsules tapered toward the base and oblique at the mouth. The leaf margins are distinctly toothed above the middle. Reports for Oklahoma are by B. D. Mahler and W. F. Mahler (1980) and from Texas by E. Whitehouse and F. McAllister (1954).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The leaves of Dicranella subulata have exceedingly slender subulae with a long-excurrent costa and very long cells. The perichaetial leaves are abruptly narrowed from a sheathing base to a spreading subula. The setae are red and the inclined capsules striate-furrowed but not strumose. Dicranella stikinensis, known from a single collection, is difficult to evaluate, as the sporophytes are not quite mature. The setae are reddish yellow, and the capsules seem erect and smooth, although a few of them are somewhat inclined and show a hint of ribbing that may become more pronounced with age. The peristome teeth are clearly striate at the base of forks but irregularly papillose basally. The most interior perichaetial leaves are somewhat shorter with shorter subulae than the exterior. However, in spite of apparent differences, it seems that the species can be dismissed as a juvenile expression of D. subulata. On describing D. stikinensis, Grout also saw some similarity to D. subulata, which has red setae, peristome teeth pitted-striolate basally, long, spreading leaf subulae, and perichaetial leaves not differing in size and distinctly spreading from a clasping base.
Records for this species in the United States include reports by I. A. Worley and Z. Iwatsuki (1970), A. J. Grout (1928–1940, vol. 1), E. H. Ketchledge (1980), and F. D. Bowers and S. K. Freckmann (1979). Dicranella curvata var. missourica Cardot & Thériot seems to be far out of range and is unlikely to be related to D. subulata. Also, D. subulata is not recorded in the checklist of P. L. Redfearn Jr. (2001).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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