Pseudoleskea radicosa
Pseudoleskea saviana
pseudoleskea moss
pseudoleskea moss
with branches robust, julaceous, apices usually curving up;
central strand present;
paraphyllia many, filamentous to foliose, branched.
with branches robust, julaceous, apices 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 somewhat erect when dry, erect-spreading when moist, glossy or dull, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, asymmetric, ± falcate, 0.9–1.2 mm;
margins strongly and broadly recurved to acumen;
apex abruptly and slenderly long-acuminate, hair-point absent;
costa subpercurrent to percurrent, green to yellow-green, sometimes sinuate;
alar cells transversely elongate to quadrate, region large;
medial laminal cells elongate-rhomboidal to fusiform or somewhat vermicular, to 25 µm, 3–4:1, opaque, strongly prorate to near base, walls firm to incrassate, not pitted;
juxtacostal cells somewhat longer than more distal cells, walls not pitted.
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.
erect to suberect, symmetric, 1–1.5 mm;
endostome basal membrane 1/3 exostome length, segments shorter than exostome, cilia absent or rudimentary.
16–22 µm.
12–17 µm.
Pseudoleskea radicosa
Pseudoleskea saviana
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 saviana is found at moderately high elevations, descending to somewhat lower elevations in the northern portion of its range, and in Alaska the species is known only from the Aleutian Islands. The species is characterized by the strongly recurved margins to near the acumen, the relatively long, slender medial laminal cells, the somewhat longer proximal juxtacostal cells, and an acumen that is often as long as the rest of the lamina.
(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 |
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
CalFlora
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
