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orthotrichum moss, rock bristle-moss

orthotrichum moss

Habit Plants (1–)3–12.5 cm, light green to olive green. Plants 0.8–4 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 loosely erect-spreading when dry, lanceolate, 2.5–4 mm;

margins revolute to just below apex, often wavy and slightly notched near apex;

apex gradually acuminate to long acuminate-cuspidate;

basal laminal cells elongate, walls thick, nodose;

distal cells 7–13 µm, 1-stratose, papillae 1 or 2 per cell, conic, size moderate.

Seta

to 1.8 mm.

1–1.5 mm.

Sexual condition

gonioautoicous.

gonioautoicous.

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.

immersed to fully exserted, usually 1/2–1/4 emergent, oblong-ovate to cylindric, 1.5–2 mm, smooth to slightly 8-ribbed;

stomata superficial;

peristome double;

prostome absent;

exostome teeth 16, separate to base, recurved, acute, obscurely and densely papillose;

endostome segments 16, separate to base, well developed, thick, stout, of 2 rows of cells, narrower than exostome teeth, usually not erose, yellowish brown, coarsely papillose.

Calyptra

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

conic-oblong, smooth, moderately hairy, hairs smooth.

Spores

13–21 µm.

17–29 µm.

Specialized

asexual reproduction absent.

asexual reproduction absent.

Orthotrichum rupestre

Orthotrichum pycnophyllum

Habitat Non-calcareous boulders and cliff faces in mesic areas of pine, spruce-fir, or aspen forests, base of trees, subalpine shade Branches and trunks of trees
Elevation low to high elevations (100-3000 m) (low to high elevations (300-9800 ft)) moderate to high elevations (500-2000 m) (moderate to high elevations (1600-6600 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
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico; South America; Central America (Guatemala, Panama)
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.)

Distinguishing features of Orthotrichum pycnophyllum are the 16 exostome teeth that are not connate at the base to form a membrane as in O. keeverae, 16 endostome segments, and a slightly ribbed capsule that is usually 3/4 emergent.

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

Source FNA vol. 28, p. 65. FNA vol. 28, p. 64.
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. obtusifolium, O. ohioense, O. pallens, O. parvulum, O. pellucidum, O. praemorsum, O. pulchellum, O. pumilum, O. pusillum, 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 O. lozanoi, O. lozanoi var. lutescens, O. pycnophyllum var. lutescens, O. recurvans
Name authority Schleicher ex Schwagrichen: Sp. Musc. Frond. Suppl. 1(2): 27, plate 53 [top]. (1816) Schimper: in J. K. A. Müller, Syn. Musc. Frond. 1: 709. (1849)
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