Hypnum cupressiforme
Hypnum curvifolium
cypress-leaf claw-moss, cypress-leaf plaitmoss, hypnum moss
curveleaf hypnum moss, greater plait moss
1–8+ cm, pale to yellowish green, brown with age, creeping to erect, complanate-foliate or not, irregularly pinnate to nearly unbranched, attached shoots often regularly pinnate, branches 1–3 cm;
hyalodermis absent, central strand poorly developed;
pseudoparaphyllia filamentous, 1–3-seriate at base.
leaves falcate-secund, ovate, narrowing to apex, 1.5–2.5 × 0.7–0.8 mm;
base slightly decurrent, auriculate, sometimes only on one side;
margins plane, sinuate to entire basally, gradually weakly toothed near apex;
acumen relatively broad;
costa double, short;
alar cells few, region well defined, often excavate, in 1–3 rows across base;
basal laminal cells broader than medial cells, pigmented, walls not porose;
medial cells 70–80 × 4–5 µm. Sexual condition dioicous;
inner perichaetial leaves lanceolate to subulate.
strongly imbricate, not to decidedly falcate-secund, ovate to oblong-lanceolate, gradually or abruptly narrowed to apex, 1.5–2 × 0.5–0.8 mm;
base not decurrent, not auriculate;
margins recurved to plane proximally, serrulate (sometimes weakly) distally, occasionally nearly entire;
acumen slender;
costa double and short or obscure;
alar region well defined, basalmost cells larger, sometimes hyaline, yellowish or brownish;
basal laminal cells shorter, wider than medial cells, not pigmented, walls not pitted;
medial cells (50–)60–80 × 3–4(–5) µm. Sexual condition dioicous;
inner perichaetial leaves oblong-lanceolate, margins serrulate distally, costa obscure.
reddish, 1–2.5(–3) cm.
orange-yellow to brownish when mature, 2–4.5 cm.
slightly inclined, reddish, cylindric, 1.8–2.5(–2.8) mm;
annulus 1–3-seriate;
operculum conic to rostrate;
endostome cilia 1–2(–3).
inclined to horizontal, reddish, obovoid-cylindric, 2.5–3 mm;
annulus broad, 2-seriate;
operculum conic;
endostome cilia 2 or 3.
Hypnum cupressiforme
Hypnum curvifolium
Varieties 9 (4 in the flora).
Hypnum cupressiforme is an extremely polymorphic species, reflected in the more than 60 varieties that have been described. The species has a wide ecological amplitude as well as a nearly cosmopolitan distribution and is found in all climatic regions except the Antarctic. Taxonomic features reliable in most other species of Hypnum are plastic in H. cupressiforme. Within a single clone, it is possible to sort out several named varieties. Variety lacunosum Bridel was noted by H. Ando (1989) to be weakly differentiated in North America, and he tentatively cited specimens from Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and South Dakota. Ando noted that var. lacunosum typically is robust, thick-complanate to julaceous, with leaves almost straight to weakly falcate and abruptly narrowed to a short acumen, but the North American material is not robust and is therefore problematic.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Hypnum curvifolium might be confused with H. lindbergii; it differs in its more plumose branching, more circinate leaves, and lack of stem hyalodermis. Also, H. lindbergii has a more extensive and often decurrent alar region. Hypnum imponens is distinguishable by its usually smaller habit size and toothed pseudoparaphyllia. Hypnum curvifolium has stems 0.5–3 mm wide; the leaves are curved to the insertion with enlarged, hyaline alar cells; the supra-alar cells are ovoid to triangular and smaller than the alar cells; the laminal cells are sometimes projecting abaxially at the distal ends; the capsules are plicate when dry; and the endostome cilia are nodulose. Sporophytes are produced in summer.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Branch leaves 1.5-2 × 0.4-0.6 mm or slightly larger | → 2 |
1. Branch leaves 1-1.4 × 0.2-0.4 mm or slightly smaller | → 3 |
2. Stems weakly complanate-foliate; leaves usually falcate, sometimes strongly so; alar cells not excavate or pigmented. | var. cupressiforme |
2. Stems subjulaceous to complanate-foliate; leaves straight to weakly falcate; alar cells excavate, pigmented. | var. subjulaceum |
3. Leaves usually falcate, sometimes strongly so; margins subentire to distinctly toothed distally. | var. cupressiforme |
3. Leaves straight to somewhat falcate; margins entire or subentire | → 4 |
4. Stems subjulaceous, creeping; leaves oblong-lanceolate, gradually narrowed to apex; laminal cells 60-80 × 3-4 µm (or slightly larger). | var. filiforme |
4. Stems julaceous, creeping to erect; leaves ovate or widely oblong, abruptly narrowed to apex; laminal cells 40-50 × 5-6 µm. | var. julaceum |
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