Plagiomnium rostratum |
|
---|---|
long-beak leafy moss, plagiomnium moss |
|
Leaves | light to dark green, sometimes black with age, crisped and contorted when dry, flat or sometimes weakly undulate in older leaves when moist, broadly elliptic or ovate, 2.5–4(–7) mm; base not or weakly decurrent; margins weakly toothed distally or to near base, occasionally entire, teeth blunt, of 1 (or 2) cells; apex broadly rounded, truncate, or retuse, rarely emarginate, apiculate or rarely cuspidate, cusp smooth; costa percurrent, short-excurrent, or rarely subpercurrent; medial laminal cells short-elongate or ± isodiametric, 22–35(–45) µm, slightly smaller near margins, in indistinct longitudinal or diagonal rows, strongly collenchymatous, walls not pitted; marginal cells linear or sometimes short-linear, in 3–5 rows. |
Seta | 1–4, yellow, reddish with age, 1.5–3(–4) cm. |
Sexual condition | synoicous. |
Capsule | horizontal to pendent, cylindric or oblong-cylindric, 2.5–4.5 mm, neck not distinct; operculum rostrate. |
Spores | 22–33 µm. |
Erect | stems 1–2 cm, not dendroid; sterile stems to 6 cm. |
Plagiomnium rostratum |
|
Phenology | Capsules mature late spring–summer. |
Habitat | Calcareous cliffs, woods, rock, soil |
Elevation | low to moderate elevations |
Distribution |
AK; AR; CA; CT; ID; LA; MI; MS; MT; NC; NJ; NY; OH; OR; PA; SC; TN; TX; VT; WA; AB; BC; NL; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; South America; Mexico (Coahuila); Europe; Asia; Africa; Indian Ocean Islands; Pacific Islands; Australia
|
Discussion | Plagiomnium rostratum is characterized by its small size, often retuse or emarginate leaf apices, not or weakly decurrent leaves, small, blunt marginal teeth, and, in fertile collections, long-rostrate opercula. Plants are commonly observed as masses of sterile stems growing closely to the substratum. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 28, p. 234. |
Parent taxa | Mniaceae > Plagiomnium |
Sibling taxa | |
Synonyms | Mnium rostratum, M. longirostrum |
Name authority | (Schrader) T. J. Koponen: Ann. Bot. Fenn. 5: 147. (1968) |
Web links |