Pohlia cruda
Pohlia obtusifolia
opal pohlia, opal thread-moss, pohlia moss
blunt-leaf pohlia, blunt-leaf thread-moss, obtuseleaf pohlia moss
0.5–2.5 cm.
0.3–0.8 cm.
erect to ± spreading, lanceolate to elliptic, 0.8–2 mm;
margins serrulate to serrate in distal 1/3;
costa subpercurrent;
distal medial laminal cells linear-rhomboidal, vermicular, firm, 70–140 µm, walls thin.
erect to ± spreading, broadly lanceolate, 0.7–1.4 mm;
margins serrulate to serrate in distal 1/3;
costa subpercurrent;
distal medial laminal cells hexagonal or broadly rhombic, lax, 30–70 µm, walls thin.
orange to orange-brown.
orange-brown.
paroicous, rarely dioicous;
perigonial leaves in dioicous plants linear- or long-lanceolate from ovate base;
perichaetial leaves strongly or rarely weakly differentiated, linear-lanceolate.
paroicous;
perichaetial leaves scarcely differentiated, broadly lanceolate.
inclined 10–135°, stramineous to orange-brown, long- and slender-pyriform, neck 1/2 urn length;
exothecial cells elongate-rectangular, walls straight;
stomata superficial;
annulus present;
operculum conic;
exostome teeth yellow-brown to red-brown, acute-triangular;
endostome hyaline, basal membrane 1/2 exostome length, segments broadly keeled, broadly perforate, cilia short to long.
inclined 160–180°, stramineous to orange-brown, broadly pyriform, neck 1/3 urn length;
exothecial cells elongate-rectangular, walls straight;
stomata superficial;
annulus present;
operculum bluntly conic;
exostome teeth yellow to brown, bluntly acute;
endostome hyaline, basal membrane low, scarcely exceeding capsule rim to 1/3 exostome length, segments narrow, weakly keeled, broadly perforate, cilia absent.
18–26 µm, ± coarsely papillose.
17–25 µm, distinctly roughened.
asexual reproduction absent.
asexual reproduction absent.
Pohlia cruda
Pohlia obtusifolia
Pohlia cruda is distinguished by the glossy, pale green to whitish or bluish leaves that are narrowly elliptic to lanceolate; the laminal cells are long and narrowly linear-vermicular; the perichaetial leaves are strongly differentiated and linear-lanceolate; the sporophytes have necks about as long as the urn, with long-tapered exostome teeth, broadly keeled and perforate segments, and short to long cilia. Along with P. nutans, P. cruda is one of the most common North American species of the genus. Unlike P. nutans, P. cruda is restricted to northern and montane sites where it grows in rock crevices and on soil banks. The leaves of this species are sometimes slightly complanate. The gametophytes can be unisexual (dioicous) or bisexual (paroicous).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Plants of Pohlia obtusifolia with sporophytes are generally small, but some sterile colonies in late snowmelt areas at high elevations form deeper cushions. When plants are sterile, the subtly cucullate leaves provide a clue to their identity; they are similar to those of P. drummondii, but the stems tend to be less red, the laminal cells are broader and thinner walled, and axillary gemmae are absent. Pohlia obtusifolia is paroicous (unlike P. drummondii, which is dioicous) and the capsules are barrel-shaped, with straight, rectangular walls (sinuate in P. drummondii and other gemmiferous species). The peristome of P. obtusifolia is relatively reduced, with slenderly triangular exostome teeth that are weakly pitted basally, a low endostomial basal membrane, and narrow segments that are weakly keeled but broadly perforate.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
BC
CalFlora
Flora NW
MD Biodiversity
MI Flora
MN Wildflowers
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
