Grimmia trichophylla |
Grimmia lesherae |
|
---|---|---|
grimmia dry rock moss, hair-point grimmia |
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Habit | Plants in dense to loose patches, yellowish green to dark green. | Plants in loose tufts, green. |
Stems | 2–4 cm, central strand present. |
0.5–1.5 cm, dichotomously branched, central strand absent. |
Gemmae | clusters occasionally present in distal leaf axils. |
absent. |
Leaves | loosely appressed, slightly twisted when dry, erecto-patent when moist, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, tapering to acute apex, 2–3.5 × 0.3–0.4 mm, usually sharply keeled, margins recurved on one or both sides, plane to erect distally, awns variable, short to long, smooth to denticulate, not conspicuously flattened at base, costa firm, projecting on abaxial side; basal juxtacostal laminal cells long-rectangular (rarely short-rectangular), ± nodulose, thick-walled; basal marginal laminal cells short- to long-rectangular, with thickened transverse walls; medial laminal cells quadrate to short-rectangular, slightly sinuose, thick-walled; distal laminal cells 1-stratose, occasionally with 2-stratose ridges. |
loosely appressed and straight when dry, erectopatent when moist, broadly oblong-lanceolate, tapering to acute apex, 1.5–2 × 0.4–0.6 mm, larger towards stem tips, sharply keeled, margins recurved on both sides, awns absent, occasionally short hyaline points at leaf tips present, costa weak proximally, broad distally, projecting on abaxial side; basal juxtacostal laminal cells rectangular to linear, straight, thin-walled; basal marginal laminal cells rectangular, thin-walled; medial laminal cells short-rectangular with nodulose to sinuose walls, weakly papillose; distal laminal cells 1-stratose, margins 2-stratose. |
Seta | arcuate, 2–4 mm. |
straight, 2 mm. |
Sexual condition | dioicous. |
dioicous. |
Capsule | occasionally present, exserted, oblong-ovoid, yellowish green to stramineous, striate when dry, exothecial cells thin-walled, annulus present, operculum rostrate, peristome teeth yellowish, papillose, deeply split and perforated. |
occasionally present, exserted, yellowish brown, oblate, smooth, exothecial cells thin-walled, annulus present, operculum rostrate, peristome teeth orange, deeply split and perforated, papillose. |
Calyptra | mitrate. |
cucullate. |
Grimmia trichophylla |
Grimmia lesherae |
|
Habitat | Dry, acidic rock | Damp acidic rock |
Elevation | moderate to high elevations (200-2000 m) (moderate to high elevations (700-6600 ft)) | high elevations (2000-3000 m) (high elevations (6600-9800 ft)) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; CO; ID; ME; MO; MT; NV; OK; OR; SD; UT; VT; WA; WY; HI; BC; Mexico; Eurasia; Australia
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CA; WA |
Discussion | In North America, Grimmia trichophylla is principally a lowland species, occurring in the mountains up to about 1000 m., rarely higher. In the Southern Hemisphere, it may be found up to 4000 m. In New Zealand, the species is common, and in contrast to G. trichophylla in North America, frequently bears capsules. The New Zealand plants are usually smaller than American specimens, and the leaves are frequently contorted. The nearly cosmopolitan G. trichophylla has many phenotypes, and numerous subspecies and varieties have been described. In damp and shaded habitats, the awns may be short, just as in dry unfavorable habitats at high altitudes, where stunted specimens may occur with small, short leaves and reduced awns, or even with muticous leaves. Grimmia trichophylla has frequently been confused with related species such as 36. G. muehlenbeckii and 34. G. lisae (see discussions thereunder for identification details). Robust forms of G. trichophylla have been mistaken for G. austrofunalis (H. C. Greven 1997, 2003), which does not occur in North America. Although some of those plants have leaves of equal length along the stem, characteristic of G. austrofunalis, they also have both leaf margins recurved, and the medial and outer basal laminal cells are longer and more robust than in that species. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Of conservation concern. Grimmia lesherae is apparently endemic to the high mountains along the Pacific Coast of western North America. At present, it is known only from a few damp high elevation sites in Washington and northern California, but suitable habitats exist all along the high coastal mountains and so it may also be expected in Oregon. It is a distinctive species that is unlikely to be confused with others. There are some similarities to G. incurva, but that species has short hair-points, the leaves are linear, the medial cells have nodulose walls, and the seta is arcuate. The combination of keeled leaves with recurved margins, and straight seta is unique in the subgenus. Grimmia lesherae appears to be intermediate between subg. Guembelia and subg. Rhabdogrimmia, calling into question the division of the genus into four subgenera. A peculiar distinguishing character is the left-handed twist of dried-up setae, unique in the genus. K. G. Limpricht ([1885–]1890–1893, vol. 1) incorrectly reported the left-hand twisted, dried up setae as common in Grimmia. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 27, p. 257. | FNA vol. 27, p. 248. |
Parent taxa | Grimmiaceae > subfam. Grimmioideae > Grimmia > subg. Rhabdogrimmia | Grimmiaceae > subfam. Grimmioideae > Grimmia > subg. Rhabdogrimmia |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Greville: Fl. Edin., 235. (1824) | Greven: Grimmias, 130, figs. 43a–f. (2003) |
Web links |