Pohlia wahlenbergii
Pohlia atropurpurea
pale nodding-cap moss, pale pohlia, Wahlenberg's pohlia moss
pohlia moss
0.8–10 cm.
0.2–0.4 cm.
laxly spreading to more stiffly erect, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 0.6–1.2 mm;
margins weakly to strongly serrulate in distal 1/3;
costa ending well before apex;
distal medial laminal cells laxly and broadly hexagonal to rhomboidal, 65–110 µm, walls thin.
erect-spreading to spreading, lanceolate, 0.6–1.2 mm;
base not or scarcely decurrent;
margins weakly serrulate in distal 1/3;
costa ending well before apex;
distal medial laminal cells laxly and broadly rhomboidal, 65–110 × 10–12 µm, walls thin.
orange-brown.
orange-brown.
dioicous;
perigonial leaves ovate;
perichaetial leaves weakly differentiated, lanceolate.
dioicous;
perigonial leaves to 3 mm;
perichaetial leaves scarcely differentiated, lanceolate.
inclined ± 180°, brown to red-brown, sometimes stramineous, short-pyriform to urceolate, neck less than 1/3 urn length;
exothecial cells isodiametric, walls sinuate;
stomata immersed;
annulus absent;
operculum short- to long-conic;
exostome teeth light brown to red-brown, triangular-acute;
endostome hyaline to yellow, basal membrane 1/2 exostome length or slightly longer, segments tapered apically, distinctly keeled, broadly perforate, cilia long, nodulose.
inclined ± 180°, brown to red-brown, sometimes stramineous, short-pyriform to urceolate, neck less than 1/3 urn length;
exothecial cells isodiametric, walls sinuate;
stomata superficial;
annulus absent;
operculum short- to long-conic;
exostome teeth dark brown to red-brown, triangular-acute;
endostome yellow to yellow-brown, basal membrane 1/2 exostome length, segments tapered apically, distinctly keeled, broadly perforate, cilia long, nodulose.
15–21 µm, finely roughened.
15–21 µm, finely roughened.
asexual reproduction absent.
asexual reproduction absent.
Pohlia wahlenbergii
Pohlia atropurpurea
Pohlia wahlenbergii is one of the most geographically widespread and common species of the genus. The leaves are pale whitish, decurrent, and have lax, thin-walled cells. The species varies greatly in size from very slender delicate plants in suboptimal habitats to large and deep cushions in cold high altitude and latitude sites. Large plants of P. wahlenbergii typically have red stems and sometimes reddish pigmentation to the leaves as well. Some authors refer large expressions to var. glaciale (or P. glaciale), but gradation in size and pigmentation is completely continuous, and different collectors draw the line between the typical variety and var. glaciale at different points. The exothecial cell walls in capsules of this species are somewhat collenchymatous.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Pohlia atropurpurea has sporophytes similar to those of P. melanodon, with dark reddish brown exostome teeth, yellow endostomes, and immersed stomata. This uncommon northern species is very small and soft, generally consisting of unbranched gametophytes that do not form extensive cushions. As in P. melanodon, the laminal cells are lax and thin-walled. Genetic relationships between this species and P. melanodon need study; P. atropurpurea could be a northern form of that species. Medial laminal cells of the perichaetial leaves are narrower than the broadly lax cells of proximal stem leaves. The exothecial cell walls of capsules of this species are somewhat collenchymatous.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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