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Lyell's bristle-moss, Lyell's orthotrichum moss

orthotrichum moss

Habit Plants to 13 cm. Plants 0.4–1.2 cm.
Stem

leaves erect-spreading to loosely erect, ± contorted when dry, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 2.5–6.5 mm;

margins plane, entire;

apex narrowly acute to acuminate;

basal laminal cells narrowly elongate, walls thick, ± nodose;

distal cells 7–14 µm, 1-stratose, papillae 1–3 per cell, conic, large.

leaves erect-appressed when dry, ovate to ovate-oblong, 2–2.8 mm;

margins involute, entire;

apex rounded to obtuse;

basal laminal cells elongate-rectangular, walls thick, not nodose;

distal cells 7–12 µm, 1-stratose, papillae 2 or 3 per cell, conic, small.

Seta

0.8–2.7 mm.

0.5 mm.

Sexual condition

dioicous.

dioicous.

Capsule

immersed, emergent, or rarely exserted, oblong-cylindric, 1.7–3 mm, strongly 8-ribbed to mid capsule or entire length;

stomata superficial;

peristome double;

prostome absent;

exostome teeth 16, reflexed-recurved, acuminate, densely papillose;

endostome segments 16, well developed, usually present when capsule is old and dry, thick, stout, of 2 rows of cells, narrower than exostome teeth, yellowish brown, coarsely papillose.

immersed, oblong, 1.8 mm, moderately 8-ribbed when dry;

stomata superficial;

peristome and prostome absent.

Calyptra

conic-oblong, smooth, very hairy, hairs papillose.

conic, papillose, naked, obscurely plicate.

Spores

18–35 µm.

18–20 µm.

Specialized

asexual reproduction by gemmae on leaves.

asexual reproduction by gemmae on adaxial surface of leaves.

Orthotrichum lyellii

Orthotrichum gymnostomum

Habitat Trees, covering trunks to 10 m, boulders Bark of deciduous trees
Elevation low to moderate elevations (10-1000 m) (low to moderate elevations (0-3300 ft)) low to moderate elevations (0-200 m) (low to moderate elevations (0-700 ft))
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CA; ID; OR; WA; BC; Mexico (Baja California); Europe; n Africa
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
NF; Europe; e Asia (Japan)
Discussion

Orthotrichum lyellii is easily distinguished from all other species of the genus by its dioicous sexual condition, the male plants being slightly smaller and having numerous and conspicuous perigonia. In addition, the 16, slenderly acuminate, whitish exostome teeth and 16 endostome segments are characteristic. Sterile plants usually have abundant laminal gemmae.

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

Orthotrichum gymnostomum differs from the similar O. obtusifolium by its leaves with involute margins, laminal cells with two or three papillae, and immersed capsules with no peristome, while O. obtusifolium has leaves with erect margins, 1-papillose cells, and emergent capsules with a double peristome. Orthotrichum gymnostomum is rare in North America, restricted to the coastal areas of Newfoundland.

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

Source FNA vol. 28, p. 59. FNA vol. 28, p. 56.
Parent taxa Orthotrichaceae > Orthotrichum Orthotrichaceae > Orthotrichum
Sibling taxa
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. 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. 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
Synonyms Dorcadion lyellii, O. lyellii var. howei, O. lyellii var. papillosum, O. lyellii var. pringlei, O. lyellii subsp. strictum, O. lyellioides, O. menziesii, O. papillosum, O. papillosum subsp. strictum, O. pringlei Nyholmiella gymnostoma
Name authority Hooker & Taylor: Muscol. Brit., 76, plate 22 [upper left]. (1818) Bruch ex Bridel: Bryol. Univ. 1: 782. (1827)
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