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Ohio orthotrichum moss

Habit Plants 0.4–1.4 cm.
Stem

leaves stiff, loosely erect-appressed when dry, narrowly lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 1.4–2.9 mm;

margins strongly revolute to just before apex, entire;

apex obtuse to bluntly acute, not incurved when dry;

basal laminal cells subquadrate to short-rectangular, walls thin, not nodose;

distal cells 8–10 µm, 1-stratose, lumina irregular due to uneven wall thickenings, papillae 1–2 per cell, conic, low.

Seta

to 1 mm.

Sexual condition

gonioautoicous.

Capsule

emergent, oblong to ovate, 1–1.5 mm, 8-ribbed almost to base, ribs thin, delicate, not constricted below mouth;

stomata immersed, mid capsule, 1/2 to completely covered by subsidiary cells, cells projecting vertically over stomata, inner walls thickened;

peristome double;

prostome absent;

exostome teeth 8, splitting to 16 with age, reflexed, finely and densely papillose;

endostome often absent, or segments 8, well developed, of 1 row of cells, smooth.

Calyptra

oblong, smooth, naked or slightly hairy, hairs smooth.

Spores

15–19 µm.

Specialized

asexual reproduction absent.

Vaginula

with hairs absent.

Orthotrichum ohioense

Habitat Deciduous trees in mesic hardwood forests, along streams
Elevation low to moderate elevations (100-1000 m) (low to moderate elevations (300-3300 ft))
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IL; IN; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MO; MS; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; VA; VT; WV; NB; NS; ON; QC
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Discussion

Orthotrichum ohioense is distinguished by the 16 exostome teeth, eight rudimentary endostome segments, slightly 8-ribbed ovate capsules, leaves that are lanceolate and bluntly acute at the apices, and laminal cells smaller than 10 µm.

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

Source FNA vol. 28, p. 60.
Parent taxa 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. lyellii, O. norrisii, O. obtusifolium, 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 O. citrinum, O. ohioense var. citrinum
Name authority Sullivant & Lesquereux: in C. F. Austin, Musci Appalach., 169. (1870)
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