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pale nodding-cap moss, pale pohlia, Wahlenberg's pohlia moss

Bolander's pohlia moss

Habit Plants small to very large, whitish or sometimes in large forms reddish, dull. Plants small to medium-sized, green or sometimes pale whitish, somewhat shiny.
Stems

0.8–10 cm.

0.3–1.5 cm.

Leaves

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 to ± spreading, lanceolate to narrowly ovate-lanceolate, 0.8–1.6 mm;

base not or scarcely decurrent;

margins serrulate to serrate in distal 1/3;

costa subpercurrent or percurrent;

distal medial laminal cells linear-rhomboidal, 55–100 µm, walls thin.

Seta

orange-brown.

stramineous to orange-brown.

Sexual condition

dioicous;

perigonial leaves ovate;

perichaetial leaves weakly differentiated, lanceolate.

dioicous;

perigonial leaves ovate;

perichaetial leaves slightly differentiated, ovate-lanceolate.

Capsule

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 35–90°, stramineous to orange-brown, narrowly cylindric, neck 1/2–1 time urn length;

exothecial cells elongate-rectangular, walls straight;

stomata superficial;

annulus present;

operculum conic;

exostome teeth yellow to yellow-brown, acute-triangular;

endostome hyaline, basal membrane 1/4–1/2 exostome length, segments tapered apically, narrowly keeled, narrowly to not perforate, cilia absent to rudimentary.

Spores

15–21 µm, finely roughened.

16–26 µm, distinctly roughened.

Specialized

asexual reproduction absent.

asexual reproduction absent.

Pohlia wahlenbergii

Pohlia bolanderi

Phenology Capsules mature spring (Apr–Jun). Capsules mature summer (Jun–Aug).
Habitat Disturbed clay or rarely sandy soil, path banks, along streams Dry alpine soil, soil-filled rock crevices
Elevation low to high elevations low to high elevations
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; IA; ID; IL; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; SD; TN; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; NU; ON; PE; QC; YT; Mexico; Central America; South America; Greenland; Eurasia; Antarctica
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
AK; CA; CO; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; BC; Europe
Discussion

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 bolanderi has glossy to whitish leaves. Glossy forms might be confused with P. longicolla, but P. bolanderi can be distinguished by its smaller size and dioicous inflorescences. The leaves of P. bolanderi are smaller and relatively broader than those of P. longicolla. Variety seriata is characterized by whitish, ranked leaves; it is not recognized here because of intermediate plants from western North America, although in their best development these plants are very distinctive. Plants of this variant might be confused with Conostomum tetragonum (Bartramiaceae).

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

Source FNA vol. 28, p. 212. FNA vol. 28, p. 198.
Parent taxa Mielichhoferiaceae > Pohlia Mielichhoferiaceae > Pohlia
Sibling taxa
P. andalusica, P. andrewsii, P. annotina, P. atropurpurea, P. beringiensis, P. bolanderi, P. brevinervis, P. bulbifera, P. camptotrachela, P. cardotii, P. columbica, P. cruda, P. crudoides, P. drummondii, P. elongata, P. erecta, P. filum, P. flexuosa, P. lescuriana, P. longibracteata, P. longicolla, P. ludwigii, P. melanodon, P. nutans, P. obtusifolia, P. pacifica, P. proligera, P. rabunbaldensis, P. robertsonii, P. tundrae, P. vexans
P. andalusica, P. andrewsii, P. annotina, P. atropurpurea, P. beringiensis, P. brevinervis, P. bulbifera, P. camptotrachela, P. cardotii, P. columbica, P. cruda, P. crudoides, P. drummondii, P. elongata, P. erecta, P. filum, P. flexuosa, P. lescuriana, P. longibracteata, P. longicolla, P. ludwigii, P. melanodon, P. nutans, P. obtusifolia, P. pacifica, P. proligera, P. rabunbaldensis, P. robertsonii, P. tundrae, P. vexans, P. wahlenbergii
Synonyms Hypnum wahlenbergii, Mniobryum wahlenbergii Bryum bolanderi, P. bolanderi var. seriata
Name authority (F. Weber & D. Mohr) A. L. Andrews: in A. J. Grout, Moss Fl. N. Amer. 2. 203. (1935) (Lesquereux) Brotherus: in H. G. A. Engler and K. Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 218[I,3]: 548. (1903)
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