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orthotrichum moss, rock bristle-moss

lanceolateleaf rock moss, showy bristle-moss

Habit Plants (1–)3–12.5 cm, light green to olive green. Plants 0.8–5 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, usually slightly contorted or curved when dry, lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, 3–4 mm;

margins revolute nearly to apex, entire;

apex acuminate to narrowly acute;

basal laminal cells elongate, walls thick, nodose or wavy;

distal cells 7–13 µm, 1-stratose, papillae 1–3 per cell, conic or 2-fid, large.

Seta

to 1.8 mm.

1–3 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.

exserted to rarely emergent, cylindric to ovate-cylindric when mature, 1.5–2.4 mm, slightly 8-ribbed to mid capsule;

stomata superficial;

peristome double;

prostome absent;

exostome teeth 8, separate to base, recurved, acute, coarsely papillose;

endostome segments 8, 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.

Calyptra

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

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

Spores

13–21 µm.

13–26 µm.

Specialized

asexual reproduction absent.

asexual reproduction absent.

Orthotrichum rupestre

Orthotrichum speciosum

Habitat Non-calcareous boulders and cliff faces in mesic areas of pine, spruce-fir, or aspen forests, base of trees, subalpine shade Coniferous and deciduous trees, rock
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; CA; CO; ID; MI; MN; MT; NH; NV; NY; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; NU; PE; QC; SK; YT; n Asia; Greenland; Europe; n Africa
[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 speciosum is primarily western and Arctic in distribution; the plants are distinguished by their ribbed capsules, large size, and more slender leaf apices.

(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. sordidum, 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. killiasii, O. speciosum subsp. killiasii, O. speciosum var. killiasii
Name authority Schleicher ex Schwagrichen: Sp. Musc. Frond. Suppl. 1(2): 27, plate 53 [top]. (1816) Nees: in J. Sturm et al., Deutschl. Fl. 2 (17): 5. (1819)
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