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orthotrichum moss, rock bristle-moss

orthotrichum moss

Habit Plants (1–)3–12.5 cm, light green to olive green. Plants 0.5–3 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-appressed and often slightly contorted when dry, narrowly lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 2–3.6 mm;

margins revolute to near apex, entire;

apex acute;

basal laminal cells elongate-rectangular, walls thick, nodose;

distal cells 7–14 µm, 1-stratose, papillae 2 or 3 per cell, conic, size moderate.

Seta

to 1.8 mm.

0.5–1.6 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.

1/2–2/3 emergent, sometimes immersed or fully exserted, oblong to oblong-cylindric, 0.8–1.5 mm, strongly 8-ribbed 1/2–2/3 length;

stomata superficial;

peristome double;

prostome rudimentary or absent;

exostome teeth 8, reflexed, reticulately papillose to obscurely papillose, deeply perforate, cancellate;

endostome segments 8, well developed, usually present when capsule is old and dry, narrow, of 1 or 2 rows of cells, smooth or finely verrucose.

Calyptra

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

oblong-conic, smooth, sparsely hairy, hairs smooth or papillose.

Spores

13–21 µm.

19–29 µm.

Specialized

asexual reproduction absent.

asexual reproduction absent.

Orthotrichum rupestre

Orthotrichum sordidum

Habitat Non-calcareous boulders and cliff faces in mesic areas of pine, spruce-fir, or aspen forests, base of trees, subalpine shade Trunks of deciduous and coniferous trees, boulders in hardwood forests, small trees
Elevation low to high elevations (100-3000 m) (low to high elevations (300-9800 ft)) low to moderate elevations (0-1000 m) (low to moderate elevations (0-3300 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; MA; ME; MI; MN; NH; NJ; NY; PA; VT; WI; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; n Asia
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 sordidum is distinguished by its oblong capsules with exostome teeth perforate almost to the base and cancellate distally. The capsule neck is long and shriveled.

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

Source FNA vol. 28, p. 65. FNA vol. 28, p. 67.
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. pycnophyllum, O. pylaisii, O. rivulare, O. rupestre, O. shawii, O. shevockii, 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. affine var. sordidum, O. affine subsp. subrivale, O. cancellatum
Name authority Schleicher ex Schwagrichen: Sp. Musc. Frond. Suppl. 1(2): 27, plate 53 [top]. (1816) Sullivant & Lesquereux: in C. F. Austin, Musci Appalach., 168. (1870)
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