Hypnum cupressiforme
Hypnum pallescens
cypress-leaf claw-moss, cypress-leaf plaitmoss, hypnum moss
hypnum 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, rarely straight, ovate- to oblong-lanceolate, narrowed to apex, 0.6–1.1 × 0.4–0.6 mm;
base not or weakly decurrent, not auriculate;
margins usually broadly or narrowly recurved proximally, sometimes to apex, serrulate to nearly entire proximally, serrate distally;
acumen short, slender to relatively wide;
costa double, rarely single, faint to distinct;
alar cells subquadrate or transversely rectangular, subopaque, region not well defined, not excavate, 8–15(–20) cells in marginal row;
basal laminal cells broader than medial cells, often yellowish, walls pitted;
medial cells 30–50 × 4–5 µm, walls not pitted.
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.
with margins frequently strongly serrate;
apex more gradually acuminate.
reddish, 1–2.5(–3) cm.
yellowish brown to red, 0.7–1.5 cm.
dioicous;
inner perichaetial leaves oblong-lanceolate, margins serrulate distally, costa obscure.
autoicous;
inner perichaetial leaves oblong-lanceolate, margins serrate distally, acumen slender, costa double or rarely single, faint or distinct.
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, rarely suberect, yellowish to dark brown, oblong to subcylindric, 1–2.3 mm;
annulus 1- or 2-seriate;
operculum conic;
endostome cilia 2 or 3.
Hypnum cupressiforme
Hypnum pallescens
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 pallescens occurs from sea level to higher elevations in eastern North America, mainly in forested areas. In western North America, it is less frequent, found from near sea level to subalpine elevations of 2000 m. Plants of this species are firmly affixed to the substrate by rhizoids and usually produce abundant sporophytes in summer; the slightly flattened to somewhat julaceous branches emerge in a horizontal plane; pseudoparaphyllia are infrequent; and the laminal cells are weakly papillose at the ends. Hypnum recurvatum is similar in size, but the alar cells are more numerous than in H. pallescens, and the leaves are hamate to circinate in H. recurvatum, falcate in H. pallescens; pseudoparaphyllia are foliose and mainly four or more cells wide in H. pallescens, while those in H. recurvatum are filamentous, often 1-seriate but generally lanceolate. Hypnum recurvatum occurs mainly on limey rock while H. pallescens is found usually on acid rock.
(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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