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orthotrichum moss, wood bristle-moss

elegant bristle-moss, orthotrichum moss

Habit Plants to 3 cm. Plants to 1.6 cm.
Stem

leaves erect-appressed and straight when dry, ligulate, elongate- to ovate-lanceolate, 2–4 mm;

margins recurved-revolute to just below apex, entire;

apex acute;

basal laminal cells long-rectangular to elongate, walls thick, nodose;

distal cells 9–13 µm, 1-stratose, papillae 2 or 3 per cell, 2-fid, low.

leaves crisped-flexuose when dry, narrowly lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 1.6–3.2 mm;

margins recurved to near apex, entire;

apex sharply acute;

basal laminal cells rectangular, walls thick, not nodose;

distal cells 8–14 µm, 1-stratose, papillae 1–2 per cell, conic, small.

Seta

1–2.2 mm.

(0.8–)1–3(–3.5) mm.

Sexual condition

gonioautoicous.

gonioautoicous.

Capsule

1/2 emergent to short-exserted, long-cylindric when mature, cylindric and constricted along entire length when old and dry, 1.6–2.5 mm, strongly 8-ribbed 2/3 capsule length;

stomata superficial;

peristome double;

prostome absent;

exostome teeth 8, erect when mature, reflexed to reflexed-recurved when old, coarsely and obscurely papillose or sometimes papillose-reticulate, deeply perforate, cancellate;

endostome segments 8, rarely 16, well developed, usually present when capsule is old and dry, narrow, of 2 rows of cells, papillose.

exserted or sometimes 1/2 emergent, oblong-cylindric, 0.9–2.1 mm, strongly 8-ribbed entire length;

stomata immersed, in mid and distal capsule;

peristome double;

prostome absent;

exostome teeth 16, rarely connate in 8 pairs, erect when mature, reflexed when old, irregularly papillose-reticulate;

endostome segments 16, well developed, of 1 row of cells, finely roughened.

Calyptra

conic-oblong, smooth, hairs few, papillose.

oblong-conic to conic, smooth, naked.

Spores

15–18 µm.

12–24 µm.

Specialized

asexual reproduction absent.

asexual reproduction absent.

Orthotrichum affine

Orthotrichum pulchellum

Habitat Deciduous trees, shaded rock, shaded forests near stream beds, canyons, mountains Trunks, branches, twigs of deciduous and coniferous trees
Elevation low to high elevations (0-3000 m) (low to high elevations (0-9800 ft)) low to moderate elevations (0-1000 m) (low to moderate elevations (0-3300 ft))
Distribution
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; OR; UT; WA; AB; BC; Europe; Asia; n Africa
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
AK; CA; ID; OR; WA; BC
Discussion

Orthotrichum affine, a species confined to western North America in the flora area, is best recognized by: superficial stomata; cylindric, strongly ribbed, almost exserted capsules; a well-developed but not stout endostome; and a calyptra that is only sparsely hairy.

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

Orthotrichum pulchellum is distinguished from all species of Ulota by its glabrous calyptrae and immersed stomata, and from O. consimile by the 16 reddish exostome teeth that are papillose-reticulate with slender, high papillae, and stomata always located at or beyond mid capsule. Also, plants of O. pulchellum are rarely longer than 1 cm, and capsules are usually barely exserted and oblong-cylindric.

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

Source FNA vol. 28, p. 50. FNA vol. 28, p. 63.
Parent taxa Orthotrichaceae > Orthotrichum Orthotrichaceae > Orthotrichum
Sibling taxa
O. alpestre, O. anodon, O. anomalum, O. bartramii, O. bolanderi, O. consimile, O. cupulatum, O. diaphanum, O. elegans, O. euryphyllum, O. exiguum, O. fenestratum, O. flowersii, O. gymnostomum, O. hallii, O. holzingeri, O. keeverae, O. kellmanii, O. laevigatum, O. lescurii, O. lyellii, O. norrisii, O. obtusifolium, O. ohioense, O. pallens, O. parvulum, O. pellucidum, O. praemorsum, O. pulchellum, O. pumilum, O. pusillum, O. pycnophyllum, O. pylaisii, O. rivulare, O. rupestre, O. shawii, O. shevockii, O. sordidum, O. speciosum, O. spjutii, O. stellatum, O. stramineum, O. strangulatum, O. striatum, O. tenellum, O. underwoodii
O. affine, O. alpestre, O. anodon, O. anomalum, O. bartramii, O. bolanderi, O. consimile, O. cupulatum, O. diaphanum, O. elegans, O. euryphyllum, O. exiguum, O. fenestratum, O. flowersii, O. gymnostomum, O. hallii, O. holzingeri, O. keeverae, O. kellmanii, O. laevigatum, O. lescurii, O. lyellii, O. norrisii, O. obtusifolium, O. ohioense, O. pallens, O. parvulum, O. pellucidum, O. praemorsum, O. pumilum, O. pusillum, O. pycnophyllum, O. pylaisii, O. rivulare, O. rupestre, O. shawii, O. shevockii, O. sordidum, O. speciosum, O. spjutii, O. stellatum, O. stramineum, O. strangulatum, O. striatum, O. tenellum, O. underwoodii
Synonyms O. pulchellum var. groutii
Name authority Schrader ex Bridel: Muscol. Recent. 2(2): 22. (1801) Brunton: in J. E. Smith et al., Engl. Bot. 25: plate 1787. (1807)
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