Funaria hygrometrica
Funaria arctica
bonfire moss, common cord-moss, funaria moss
arctic funaria moss
smaller proximally, distal leaves 2–4 mm, deeply concave, oblong-ovate to broadly obovate distally, acute to apiculate or short-acuminate, entire or weakly serrulate distally;
costa subpercurrent to short-excurrent;
distal laminal cells thin-walled and inflated, hexagonal or oblong-hexagonal becoming much more oblong proximally.
few and small proximally, distal leaves 1.5–2.5 mm, concave, broadly oblong-ovate to broadly obovate distally, some approaching a length-width ratio of 1.2:1, broadly acute to (mostly) obtuse with a few tiny teeth at the point, entire basally;
costa percurrent;
distal laminal cells thin-walled, elongate-hexagonal, soon becoming elongate oblong-rectangular proximally.
usually (12–)20–45(–80) mm, slender and flexuose, usually hygroscopic.
usually 7–12 mm, hygroscopic, sometimes cygneous when young and becoming variously contorted at maturity.
2–3.5 mm, pyriform, asymmetric, curved to straight, horizontal to pendent or merely inclined or nearly erect, becoming sulcate when dry below the strongly oblique mouth;
annulus revoluble, operculum slightly convex;
peristome brown, papillose-striate proximally and papillose distally, strongly trabeculate, becoming appendiculate distally, forming a lattice by fusion of the tips;
endostome segments lanceolate about 2/3 as long as the teeth, yellowish, finely papillose-striate.
1.5–2 mm, obovate, weakly to moderately curved, inclined to horizontal, wrinkled when dry, mouth slightly oblique and nearly the diameter of the capsule, annulus revoluble, operculum convex;
peristome inserted just below the rim at the mouth of the capsule, teeth lanceolate, golden brown below and hyaline at the tips, trabeculate and papillate-striate basally becoming spiculate-papillate toward the hyaline tip that is appendiculate and papillate distally, endostome a low, transparent, almost smooth membrane 3–5 cells high with rounded segments of 1–3 cells.
cucullate, smooth.
cucullate, smooth.
mostly 12–21 µm, finely papillose.
25–32 µm, finely papillose.
Funaria hygrometrica
Funaria arctica
Varieties ca. 20 (2 in the flora).
Funaria hygrometrica is one of the most common, weedy, and widely distributed mosses in the world; its distribution closely parallels that of Bryum argenteum. It is widely illustrated in textbooks to demonstrate the life cycle of a typical moss, possibly because of the abundant conspicuous sporophytes produced and its frequent presence in greenhouses. However, the peristome with opposite, instead of alternate, teeth in the two peristome rows is clearly atypical among the majority of mosses. Most of the varieties that have been described probably do not merit recognition because of the morphological plasticity of the species in response to environmental conditions.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Two small species of Funaria, F. polaris and F. arctica, are found in somewhat similar habitats in higher latitudes on sand or other mineral soil. They grow in admixture with other pioneer species of mosses as well as with each other, on newly exposed sites. In order to be certain of the identity of a particular plant, the collection should be examined individually and the desired species selected and isolated. In practice, it can be done quickly and efficiently using a dissecting microscope at about 30× depending on the condition of the material. Blunt-leaved forms belong to F. arctica and those with acuminate tips are F. polaris. Additional features separating them include the curved versus straight capsule, spore size, and the appendiculae combined with surface of the hyaline portion of the peristome teeth.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Capsule 2-3.5 mm, horizontal to pendent, curved, capsule neck less tapered, mouth of capsule narrow | var. hygrometrica |
1. Capsule 2-3 mm, inclined to nearly erect, straight or weakly curved, capsule narrowly tapered to a long slender neck, mouth of capsule wide. | var. calvescens |
BC
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
