The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

coiled-leaf claw-moss, coiled-leaf moss, hypnum moss

bamberger's hypnum moss, golden claw-moss

Habit Plants small, light gray-green to golden green or dark green. Plants large, reddish to yellowish brown.
Stem(s)

leaves falcate-secund to circinate, ovate- to triangular-lanceolate, gradually narrowed to apex, 1.5–2.2 × 0.5–0.7 mm;

base slightly decurrent, often asymmetric with one side somewhat to strongly auriculate;

margins plane, rarely slightly recurved on one side, serrulate;

acumen long-attenuate;

costa indistinct;

alar cells few, subquadrate to rounded-triangular, region fairly well defined, 2–5 cells in marginal row;

basal laminal cells broader than medial cells, golden yellow, walls porose;

medial cells 60–80(–100) × 4–5 µm. Branch leaves 1.1–1.5 × 0.3–0.4 mm;

margins more strongly serrulate.

leaves falcate to circinate-secund, oblong-ovate to oblong-lanceolate, narrowed to apex, 1.5–2 × 0.4–0.6 mm;

base not decurrent, not auriculate;

margins plane, sinuate to weakly serrate;

acumen slender;

costa single, or double and unequal, short to long;

alar cells quadrate to short-rectangular, dark brown, region well defined, weakly to markedly excavate, 3–7 cells high along margin, to 3–6 cells wide;

basal laminal cells shorter than medial cells, yellow to orange, walls more strongly pitted;

medial cells 30–60 × 4–6 µm, walls somewhat to markedly pitted.

Seta

reddish, 0.6–1.5(–2) cm.

reddish, 1.3–2 cm.

Sexual condition

dioicous or phyllodioicous;

inner perichaetial leaves oblong-lanceolate, margins serrulate distally, apex slender.

dioicous;

inner perichaetial leaves ovate to oblong-lanceolate, margins laciniate at shoulders, entire at apex, acumen slender.

Capsule

oblique to horizontal, reddish, ovoid to ovoid-oblong, 0.8–1.5 × 0.5–0.7 mm;

annulus 1- or 2-seriate;

operculum conic-apiculate;

endostome cilia 1 or 2.

inclined to horizontal, yellowish, oblong-cylindric, 1.3–1.5 mm;

annulus 3-seriate;

operculum conic;

endostome cilia 2 or 3.

Hypnum circinale

Hypnum bambergeri

Phenology Capsules mature Jan–Feb. Capsules mature Jul–Aug.
Habitat Lowland to subalpine coniferous forests, epiphytic on tree trunks, decaying logs, rock Seepage habitats, dry tundra, open conifer forests, mainly calcicolous
Elevation low to moderate elevations (0-1500 m) (low to moderate elevations (0-4900 ft)) low to high elevations (0-2500 m) (low to high elevations (0-8200 ft))
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CA; ID; MT; OR; WA; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
AK; MT; AB; BC; MB; NL; NT; NU; ON; QC; YT; Greenland; Europe; Asia
Discussion

Hypnum circinale is easily identified by the often asymmetric stem leaves bearing a long-attenuate serrulate point, with one side auriculate with usually pigmented alar cells, and the small sporangia that mature in January or February and produce sporophytes between September and December. Its closest affinities are with the east Asian H. tristoviride (Brotherus) Paris, which it strongly resembles in vegetative characters. In eastern North America, H. andoi resembles some forms of H. circinale in size and appearance, but the leaf bases, especially the nature of the alar cells and auriculation in H. circinale (absent in H. andoi) are reliable distinguishing features. The plants tend to be larger on humid logs than on tree trunks and rock and are closely affixed to the substrate by rhizoids; the pseudoparaphyllia are usually terminated by an elongate cell or 1-seriate tip of 2–4 cells; and the laminal cell walls are porose. When dioicous, the antheridial plants are similar to the archegonial; when phyllodioicous, the dwarf males are epiphytic on archegonial plants.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Hypnum bambergeri is widely distributed in the Arctic and extends southward, especially in alpine sites. The plants are shiny; the leaf margins curve gradually to the insertion or form a weak auricle just beyond the alar cells. Sporophytes are infrequent. The laminal cells pitted throughout separate this species from all others in Hypnum. The usually calcareous terrestrial seepage habitat is also a useful trait.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 28, p. 536. FNA vol. 28, p. 536.
Parent taxa Hypnaceae > Hypnum Hypnaceae > Hypnum
Sibling taxa
H. andoi, H. bambergeri, H. callichroum, H. cupressiforme, H. curvifolium, H. dieckei, H. fauriei, H. fujiyamae, H. hamulosum, H. holmenii, H. imponens, H. jutlandicum, H. lindbergii, H. pallescens, H. plicatulum, H. pratense, H. procerrimum, H. recurvatum, H. revolutum, H. subimponens, H. vaucheri
H. andoi, H. callichroum, H. circinale, H. cupressiforme, H. curvifolium, H. dieckei, H. fauriei, H. fujiyamae, H. hamulosum, H. holmenii, H. imponens, H. jutlandicum, H. lindbergii, H. pallescens, H. plicatulum, H. pratense, H. procerrimum, H. recurvatum, H. revolutum, H. subimponens, H. vaucheri
Synonyms H. squoitei, Rhaphidostegium recurvans, Stereodon circinalis Stereodon bambergeri
Name authority Hooker: Musci Exot. 2: plate 107. (1819) Schimper: Syn. Musc. Eur., 698. (1860)
Web links