The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

orthotrichum moss, rock bristle-moss

blunt-leaf bristle-moss, obtuse-leaf aspen moss

Habit Plants (1–)3–12.5 cm, light green to olive green. Plants 0.3–1.4 cm.
Stem

leaves stiff, erect-appressed when dry, narrowly lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 2–4.5 mm;

margins recurved to narrowly revolute to near apex, entire;

apex sharply to slenderly acute;

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

distal cells 6–13 µm, 1-stratose, papillae 1 or 2 per cell, conic and small, or 2-fid and low.

leaves erect-appressed when dry, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 1.4–2 mm;

margins erect-incurved, entire;

apex obtuse;

basal laminal cells ± rectangular, walls thick, not nodose;

distal cells 13–18(–20) µm, 1-stratose, papillae 1 per cell, conic, large.

Seta

to 1.8 mm.

0.5 mm.

Sexual condition

gonioautoicous.

dioicous.

Capsule

immersed, emergent, or slightly exserted, usually 1/3 emergent, globose ovate, ovate-oblong, or short-oblong, 1.3–1.8 mm, slightly or distinctly 8-ribbed 1/2–2/3 length;

stomata superficial;

peristome single, rarely double;

prostome large, conspicuous, or rudimentary;

exostome teeth 16, erect or sometimes spreading-recurved when old, smooth, scattered-papillose, or coarsely papillose-granulate;

endostome segments absent, or rarely 8, rudimentary, of 1 row of cells, smooth or roughened.

1/2 emergent, oblong-cylindric, 1.6–2 mm, strongly 8-ribbed to base;

stomata superficial;

peristome double;

prostome absent;

exostome teeth 8, reflexed, evenly papillose, sometimes irregularly striate distally;

endostome segments 8, well developed, of 2 rows of cells, smooth.

Calyptra

oblong, smooth, hairy or rarely naked, hairs finely papillose.

short-conic, papillose, naked, not plicate.

Spores

13–21 µm.

20–25 µm.

Specialized

asexual reproduction absent.

asexual reproduction by gemmae on both surfaces of leaf.

Orthotrichum rupestre

Orthotrichum obtusifolium

Habitat Non-calcareous boulders and cliff faces in mesic areas of pine, spruce-fir, or aspen forests, base of trees, subalpine shade Trunks of Populus, Juniperus, aspen, base of scrub oaks, river bottoms
Elevation low to high elevations (100-3000 m) (low to high elevations (300-9800 ft)) low to high elevations (10-2000 m) (low to high elevations (0-6600 ft))
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; SD; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT; NU; ON; YT; South America; e Africa; Pacific Islands (New Zealand); Atlantic Islands (Canary Islands); Greenland; n Africa; e Asia (Japan); Europe; Australia
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; IA; ID; MD; ME; MI; MN; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NM; NY; OR; PA; SD; UT; VT; WA; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; Europe; Asia
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

In typical form, Orthotrichum rupestre is characterized as much-branched plants in loose tufts with lanceolate leaves, apex narrowly and bluntly acute, basal cells elongate, thick-walled, and nodose, yellowish in older leaves, capsule oblong, emergent, 8-ribbed to mid capsule when old and dry, smooth or slightly 8-ribbed when mature, exostome of 16 erect teeth, coarsely papillose, and calyptra with abundant, spinulose, papillose hairs, some of which extend over the beak.

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

Orthotrichum obtusifolium is a pronounced xerophyte growing only in pioneer situations. This species might be confused with O. exiguum, O. flowersii, and O. gymnostomum, but these species do not have distal laminal cells with one papilla per cell as do those of O. obtusifolium. In addition, O. exiguum and O. flowersii have reflexed to revolute leaf margins, and both are autoicous. Orthotrichum gymnostomum has distinctly involute leaf margins and concave leaves and is dioicous. The capsule stomata of O. obtusifolium are found at or beyond mid capsule.

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

Source FNA vol. 28, p. 65. FNA vol. 28, p. 59.
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. 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. 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. 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 rupestre, O. bullatum, O. californicum, O. douglasii, O. macfaddenae, O. rupestre var. globosum, O. rupestre var. macfaddenae, O. texanum, O. texanum var. globosum Nyholmiella obtusifolia, O. inflexum
Name authority Schleicher ex Schwagrichen: Sp. Musc. Frond. Suppl. 1(2): 27, plate 53 [top]. (1816) Bridel: Muscol. Recent. 2(2): 23. (1801)
Web links