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orthotrichum moss, wood bristle-moss

Habit Plants to 3 cm. Plants to 3.5 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, loosely erect-appressed to erect-curved when dry, broadly lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate, or ovate-ligulate, 2–4 mm;

margins strongly revolute from near base to just before apex, papillose-crenulate;

apex bluntly acute to obtuse;

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

distal cells 10–15 µm, 1-stratose, papillae 1–3 per cell, 2-fid, large.

Seta

1–2.2 mm.

1–1.5 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.

emergent, often shortly so, oblong to short-cylindric, 1.5–2 mm, nearly smooth to slightly 8-ribbed, sometimes deeply 8-ribbed and constricted with flaring mouth when old and dry;

stomata superficial;

peristome rudimentary, appearing absent;

prostome absent;

exostome teeth 16, erect, sometimes reflexed when old and dry, papillose;

endostome segments occasionally rudimentary, usually absent.

Calyptra

conic-oblong, smooth, hairs few, papillose.

ovoid-campanulate, smooth, hairy, hairs papillose.

Spores

15–18 µm.

8–11 µm.

Specialized

asexual reproduction absent.

asexual reproduction absent.

Orthotrichum affine

Orthotrichum spjutii

Habitat Deciduous trees, shaded rock, shaded forests near stream beds, canyons, mountains Shaded forests near stream beds, canyons, mountains, deciduous trees, shaded rock
Elevation low to high elevations (0-3000 m) (low to high elevations (0-9800 ft)) high elevations (2600 m) (high elevations (8500 ft))
Distribution
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; OR; UT; WA; AB; BC; Europe; Asia; n Africa
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
CA
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 spjutii is best recognized by: large multifid distal laminal cell papillae, strongly revolute leaf margins, emergent, oblong capsules with peristome reduced to one or two cells (seemingly absent), and small spores. The marginal laminal cells are narrower than the basal cells and somewhat papillose, and the exostome teeth are very short and blunt.

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

Source FNA vol. 28, p. 50. FNA vol. 28, p. 68.
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. shawii, O. shevockii, O. sordidum, O. speciosum, O. stellatum, O. stramineum, O. strangulatum, O. striatum, O. tenellum, O. underwoodii
Name authority Schrader ex Bridel: Muscol. Recent. 2(2): 22. (1801) D. H. Norris & Vitt: Nova Hedwigia 56: 260, fig. 1. (1993)
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