Pseudoleskea radicosa
Pseudoleskea patens
pseudoleskea moss
patent leskea, patent mountain leskea, pseudoleskea moss
with branches robust, julaceous, apices usually curving up;
central strand present;
paraphyllia many, filamentous to foliose, branched.
with branches slender to robust, julaceous, apices sometimes curving up;
central strand present;
paraphyllia many, filamentous to foliose, not branched.
appressed to somewhat erect when dry, erect-spreading when moist, glossy or dull, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, asymmetric, usually falcate to falcate-secund, 0.6–2(–2.4) mm;
margins narrowly recurved to mid leaf or to near acumen;
apex abruptly acute to short- or long-acuminate, hair-point absent;
costa subpercurrent to percurrent, yellow-green, sometimes sinuate;
alar cells transversely elongate to quadrate, region small to medium-sized;
medial laminal cells homogeneous, short-rhomboidal, elliptic, or fusiform, to 40 µm, 2–3(–4):1, pellucid to opaque, prorate to near base, lumina larger than 10 µm, walls thin or rarely firm, not pitted;
apical cells 2–3:1;
juxtacostal cells somewhat shorter than more distal cells, walls not pitted.
appressed to julaceous when dry, erect-spreading to patent when moist, dull, ovate, asymmetric, not or rarely falcate, (0.6–)0.7–1 mm;
margins recurved proximally;
apex abruptly acute to rarely short-acuminate, hair-point absent;
costa not reaching acumen, green to orange-green, somewhat sinuate, terminal abaxial cells not or weakly projecting, not abaxially strongly dentate;
alar cells quadrate to transversely elongate, region large;
medial laminal cells quadrate, to 18 µm, 1(–2):1, opaque, moderately to strongly low rounded papillose over lumen or papillae sometimes off-centered, walls incrassate, not pitted;
proximal juxtacostal cells usually shorter than medial, walls pitted or not.
erect to suberect, symmetric, 1–2 mm;
endostome basal membrane 1/4–1/3 exostome length, segments shorter than exostome, cilia usually present, 1 or 2, sometimes reduced.
inclined, asymmetric, 0.5–2 mm;
endostome basal membrane 1/3–1/2 exostome length, segments shorter than exostome, cilia well developed.
16–22 µm.
10–14 µm.
Pseudoleskea radicosa
Pseudoleskea patens
Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).
Pseudoleskea radicosa is a common and variable species found at moderate to high elevations; the capsules mature in summer. Two of the three varieties are quite distinctive. Pseudoleskea radicosa is closely related to P. incurvata but differs in the longer, more homogeneous, thin-walled, and wider laminal cells. Combined ecological, molecular and morphological studies of the varieties are needed to determine their distinctiveness.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Pseudoleskea patens is relatively small and usually dull, dark, or olive green, with short laminal cells with rounded centrally located papillae; it differs from P. tribulosa by the recurved margins, weaker and lower laminal cell papillae lacking projecting apical salient, larger leaves with stronger plicae, and lack of the Morningstar-shaped projections of the abaxial apex cells of the costa.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Plants large; stem apices hooked; branches few or absent; leaves 1.6-2.3 mm, strongly falcate-secund, pluriplicate; apices long-acuminate. | var. denudata |
1. Plants small to medium-sized; stem apices not distinctly hooked; branches many; leaves usually less than 1.6 mm, straight, falcate, or falcate-secund, 2-plicate; apices predominantly short-acuminate to acute | → 2 |
2. Plants medium-sized; leaves weakly to moderately concave, not incurved, 1.2-1.7 mm; apices usually long-acuminate; medial laminal cells opaque. | var. radicosa |
2. Plants small; leaves strongly concave, often incurved, 0.8-1.3 mm; apices acute to short-acuminate; medial laminal cells pellucid. | var. compacta |
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USDA Plants Database
BC
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Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
