Leptodon smithii
Leptodon
Smith's leptodon moss
leptodon moss
and branch leaves 0.5–1 × 0.3–0.7 mm;
base decurrent;
medial laminal cells 8–12 × 6–12 µm.
leaves appressed or erect when dry, spreading when moist, oval to oblong-elliptic;
margins plane or recurved on one side proximally, entire;
apex obtuse or occasionally broadly acute;
costa single, 50–70% leaf length, or double, short;
alar region weakly differentiated;
medial laminal cells isodiametric.
not circinate.
densely 2-pinnate to flagelliform or irregularly pinnate;
paraphyllia present;
pseudoparaphyllia subfoliose.
similar, often smaller.
and sporophytes unknown.
dioicous;
perichaetial leaf apex squarrose.
erect, emergent, ovoid to oblong-ellipsoid;
stomata absent;
operculum obliquely rostrate;
exostome teeth connate at base, linear-lanceolate, spiculose;
endostome rudimentary.
hairy.
12–15 µm, brownish yellow].
Leptodon smithii
Leptodon
Leptodon smithii in North America is known from a single locality in Jefferson County, collected by Nelson in 1971, and subsequently recollected in 1972 (P. P. Nelson 1973). The absence of inflorescences, weakly developed circinate stems, infrequent and 1-seriate paraphyllia, decurrent leaves, and broadly acute leaf apices question the assignment of the Colorado material to L. smithii. However, many of these tendencies can be found in specimens of L. smithii from Chile, and the lack of inflorescences in the Colorado material may indicate that these are immature plants. Alternatively, the Colorado material may be male plants of L. smithii that are more slender in habit than female plants (Nelson).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Species 4 (1 in the flora).
The paraphyses are 2-seriate in Leptodon, but 1-seriate in Forsstroemia.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
