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orthotrichum moss, wood bristle-moss

Habit Plants to 3 cm. Plants to 4 cm, light green to olive green.
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 stiff, erect-appressed when dry, lanceolate, 2.7–3.6 mm;

margins broadly recurved, plane at apex, entire;

apex short-acuminate to acute;

basal laminal cells elongate, walls thick, nodose;

distal cells 9–15 µm, 1-stratose, papillae 2–4 per cell, simple or 2-fid, large.

Seta

1–2.2 mm.

to 0.4 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.

immersed to emergent, ovate to cylindric-ovate, 1.6–1.8 mm, usually smooth or slightly 8-ribbed when dry;

stomata superficial;

peristome usually single;

prostome small or absent;

exostome teeth 16, recurved, coarsely papillose to papillose-striate;

endostome rarely present, segments 8, rudimentary, of 1 row of cells, smooth.

Calyptra

conic-oblong, smooth, hairs few, papillose.

oblong-conic, smooth, hairy, hairs papillose.

Spores

15–18 µm.

14–17(–20) µm.

Specialized

asexual reproduction absent.

asexual reproduction absent.

Orthotrichum affine

Orthotrichum shawii

Habitat Deciduous trees, shaded rock, shaded forests near stream beds, canyons, mountains Tree trunks
Elevation low to high elevations (0-3000 m) (low to high elevations (0-9800 ft)) elevation unknown
Distribution
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; OR; UT; WA; AB; BC; Europe; Asia; n Africa
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
CA; Europe
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 shawii is similar to O. rupestre but distinguished by the 16 short, recurved exostome teeth and nearly smooth capsules, while O. rupestre has erect or spreading exostome teeth and variable capsule ribbing. Orthotrichum shawii was collected in California once without exact locality in the 1860s (Bolander 481780, NY). Stomata are found in the mid and distal capsule, the exostome teeth are irregularly divided, and the endostome segments are very short and hyaline.

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

Source FNA vol. 28, p. 50. FNA vol. 28, p. 66.
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. pulchellum, O. pumilum, O. pusillum, O. pycnophyllum, O. pylaisii, O. rivulare, O. rupestre, O. shevockii, O. sordidum, O. speciosum, O. spjutii, O. stellatum, O. stramineum, O. strangulatum, O. striatum, O. tenellum, O. underwoodii
Name authority Schrader ex Bridel: Muscol. Recent. 2(2): 22. (1801) Wilson: in W. P. Schimper, Musci Eur. Nov. 1 – 2(1): 1. (1864)
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