Pohlia wahlenbergii
Pohlia tundrae
pale nodding-cap moss, pale pohlia, Wahlenberg's pohlia moss
tundra pohlia moss
0.8–10 cm.
0.5–2.5 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.
± spreading, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 0.9–1.5 mm;
margins serrulate to serrate in distal 1/3;
costa subpercurrent;
distal medial laminal cells rhombic to rhomboidal, 45–95 µm, walls thin.
orange-brown.
orange-brown.
dioicous;
perigonial leaves ovate;
perichaetial leaves weakly differentiated, lanceolate.
dioicous;
perigonial leaves ovate;
perichaetial leaves scarcely differentiated, ovate-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 95–180°, brown to stramineous, pyriform, neck 1/3 urn length;
exothecial cells short-rectangular, walls sinuate;
stomata superficial;
annulus present;
operculum convex-conic;
exostome teeth yellow-brown, narrowly triangular-acute;
endostome hyaline, basal membrane 1/2 exostome length, segments distinctly keeled, broadly perforate, cilia short to rudimentary.
15–21 µm, finely roughened.
16–23 µm, finely roughened.
asexual reproduction absent.
asexual reproduction usually present when sterile;
axillary gemmae 2–8, elongate, extending beyond leaves, yellow, pink, or green, leaf primordia at apex and lower, laminate.
Pohlia wahlenbergii
Pohlia tundrae
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 tundrae has linear to oblong gemmae that extend widely from the distal leaf axils and develop in clusters, sometimes densely. The leaf primordia are broadly laminate and flexuose. Lax plants from shaded microsites have narrow pale to whitish gemmae, but plants from more exposed sites have thicker, sometimes reddish gemmae that can appear similar to those of P. drummondii. At high elevations in Yosemite National Park, P. tundrae grows mixed with P. drummondii and the two appear to intergrade, but such intermediate plants have not been seen elsewhere. Occasional plants with very short gemmae can be confused with P. proligera, which typically has smaller, vermicular gemmae with peglike apical leaf primordia.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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