Dicranum condensatum
Dicranum pallidisetum
condensed dicranum moss
dicranum moss, pale-stalk broom-moss, pale-stalk heron's-bill moss
1–9 cm, densely tomentose below with reddish brown rhizoids.
1–6 cm, tomentose with white or reddish brown rhizoids.
erect-spreading, flexuose, ± curled at the tips when dry, slightly undulate or rugose, (2–)3.5–4.5(–7) × 0.5–1 mm, concave below, strongly keeled above, oblong-lanceolate, with a broad lanceolate base gradually narrowing to a short-acuminate apex;
margins serrulate in the distal half, involute in central part;
laminae 1-stratose, with a few 2-stratose regions;
costa percurrent to shortly excurrent, 1/10–1/5 the width of the leaves at base, strong, smooth or papillose to toothed above on abaxial surface, abaxial ridges absent, with a row of guide cells, two thick stereid bands extending well into the apex, adaxial epidermal layer of cells not differentiated, the abaxial layer differentiated;
cell walls between lamina cells strongly bulging;
leaf cells papillose above on abaxial surface, sometimes nearly smooth;
alar cells 2-stratose, differentiated, not extending to costa;
proximal laminal cells elongate, pitted, (25–)41–56(–112) × (5–)6–7(–10) µm, abruptly shorter towards the apex;
distal laminal cells quadrate, irregularly angled, rounded or rectangular, not or indistinctly pitted, cell walls unequally thickened, (5–)7–8(–20) × (5–)7–8(–12) µm. Sexual condition pseudomonoicous;
dwarf males on stem rhizoids of female plants;
interior perichaetial leaves abruptly short-acuminate, convolute-sheathing.
often secund, straight or nearly so, often crisped when dry, smooth, 4–8 × 0.5–1 mm, lanceolate, acute, tubulose to apex;
margins entire below, serrulate ot serrate near apex;
laminae 1-stratose or sometimes 2-stratose on distal margins;
costa excurrent, 1/5–1/3 the width of the leaves at base, abaxially papillose or toothed from leaf middle to apex, abaxial ridges absent, with a row of guide cells, stereid bands often present and well-developed in proximal part of leaf, absent in distal 1/4–1/3 of leaf, cells above and below guide cells large and thin-walled;
cell walls between lamina cells not or slightly bulging;
leaf cells smooth or often strongly papillose in distal half of leaf;
alar cells 2-stratose, differentiated, often extending to costa, abaxial ridges absent;
proximal laminal cells linear to rectangular, with or without pits, (26–)58–95(–130) × (10–)12–14(–16) µm;
distal laminal cells quadrate, rounded, irregularly angled or short-rectangular, not pitted, (10–)15–26(–38) × (8–)9–11(–12) µm. Sexual condition dioicous;
male plants as large as female plants;
interior perichaetial leaves abruptly short-acuminate, convolute-sheathing.
1–4 cm, solitary, rarely 2 per perichaetium, yellowish.
1–2.5 cm, solitary or sometimes 2, rarely 3, per perichaetium, yellow, rarely reddish yellow or brown with age.
1.5–3 mm, arcuate, inclined to horizontal, furrowed when dry, slightly contracted below the mouth, yellowish brown;
operculum 1.5–2.5 mm.
1.5–3.5 mm, arcuate, inclined, often with a small struma, strongly furrowed when dry, contracted below mouth, yellow or yellowish brown, rarely reddish yellow or brown with age;
operculum 1.5–2.5 mm.
19–26 µm.
14–20 µm.
Dicranum condensatum
Dicranum pallidisetum
Dicranum condensatum is a common species recognized in the field by its occurrence on sandy soil, by its light green to yellowish brown, dull plants in compact, dense tufts, its erect-spreading, oblong-lanceolate leaves, narrowing to a short-acuminate apex, keeled above, somewhat undulate or rugose, curled at tips when dry, and its solitary setae with an arcuate, inclined to horizontal capsule. The papillose leaf cells with strongly bulging walls between the cells and the irregularly angled median and distal cells with nonpitted walls are distinctive microscopic characters. Dicranum spurium is the species most commonly confused with D. condensatum. Both species occur on sandy soil with their ranges overlapping. The former occurs farther northward, where it is found in Newfoundland, while the latter occurs farther to the south, where its range extends to the tip of Florida. Dicranum spurium has broader leaves, the broadest point near the middle rather than near the base like D. condensatum, and leaves that are tubulose above (most noticeable when wet) rather than keeled. Rarely, D. condensatum can be mistaken for 9. D. ontariense as discussed under that species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Dicranum pallidisetum has often been confused with D. fuscescens, being considered a form of it for many years (R. R. Ireland 1966). Unlike that species, which often occurs at low altitudes below 800 m, D. pallidisetum occurs predominately at high elevations, 800–2000 m, rarely being found as low as 500 m. It is distinguished from D. fuscescens by its tubulose leaves, usually 1-stratose or rarely 2-stratose on the margins, by its costa cross section that shows no stereid bands in the distal 1/3 of the leaf, and by its yellow or yellow-brown capsules that are sometimes 2–3 per perichaetium. In contrast, D. fuscescens has leaves keeled above, usually 2-stratose on both margins, rarely 1-stratose on one margin, stereid bands present throughout the leaf and dark brown to reddish brown capsules that are solitary or rarely 2 per perichaetium.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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