Pseudoleskeella tectorum |
Pseudoleskeella arizonae |
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pseudoleskeella moss |
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Habit | Plants dark olive green or rarely yellow-green. | Plants green to yellow-green, older stems golden. |
Stem(s) | leaves ± catenulate when dry, not homomallous, ovate, abruptly narrowed to apex, concave, not plicate, 0.4–1.2 mm, 1.5–2:1; base flaring; margins plane or rarely recurved proximally, entire; apex short-acuminate, sometimes falcate; costa usually double, or single, 2-fid, or sometimes ecostate, weak, not reaching mid leaf; medial laminal cells 1–2(–3):1, walls firm, not incrassate. |
leaves not catenulate when dry, not homomallous, ovate, gradually or abruptly narrowed to apex, concave, strongly and distinctly 2-plicate, 0.6–1.5(–2) mm, 3:1; base flaring, cordate; margins recurved to mid leaf or beyond on one or both sides, distinctly serrulate distally; apex short-acuminate to acuminate, often falcate; costa single, strong, reaching mid leaf to percurrent; medial laminal cells 2(–3):1, walls firm, not incrassate. |
Branch leaves | ovate to suborbicular, 0.4–0.8 mm; laminal cell walls moderately incrassate. |
ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 0.4–0.8 mm; laminal cell walls thick. |
Seta | red-brown, 0.1–0.2 cm. |
red-brown, 0.1–0.2 cm. |
Capsule | inclined, subcylindric, asymmetric, 1.5–2.5(–3) mm. |
inclined, subcylindric, asymmetric, 1–2 mm. |
Spores | 10–18 µm. |
10–16 µm. |
Stoloniferous | leaves broadly ovate or suborbicular. |
leaves broadly ovate or suborbicular. |
Pseudoleskeella tectorum |
Pseudoleskeella arizonae |
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Phenology | Capsules mature summer. | Capsules mature summer. |
Habitat | Shaded calcareous rock, shaded tree bases or wood | Shaded calcareous rock, shaded tree bases, wood, soil over rock |
Elevation | low to high elevations (0-4000 m) (low to high elevations (0-13100 ft)) | moderate to high elevations (1000-3500 m) (moderate to high elevations (3300-11500 ft)) |
Distribution |
AK; AZ; CA; CO; ID; KS; MI; MN; MT; ND; NE; NM; NV; OR; SD; UT; WY; AB; BC; NL; NT; NU; ON; QC; SK; Greenland; Eurasia
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AZ; CO; NM; UT; Mexico (Durango) |
Discussion | Pseudoleskeella tectorum is distinguished by the dark green, tightly appressed, catenulate leaves, and weak costa. Thin mats of this species can be become quite extensive over time, covering the faces and overhangs of shaded boulders and cliffs. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Pseudoleskeella arizonae is somewhat anomalous in the genus, and has been moved among four different genera since its description. The species is very similar to a small Pseudoleskea, but differs in the lack of paraphyllia. However, there are collections of other species of Pseudoleskea that occasionally produce few if any paraphyllia. The leaves are also similar to those of Pseudoleskea. Molecular data are probably needed to determine its correct placement; it may represent a new genus. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 28, p. 365. | FNA vol. 28, p. 363. |
Parent taxa | Leskeaceae > Pseudoleskeella | Leskeaceae > Pseudoleskeella |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Hypnum tectorum, Pseudoleskea tectorum | Pseudoleskea arizonae, Lescuraea arizonae, Leskeella arizonae |
Name authority | (Funck ex Bridel) Kindberg ex Brotherus: in H. G. A. Engler and K. Prantl, Nat. Pflanze n fam. 229[I,3]: 997. (1907) | (R. S. Williams) E. Lawton: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 84: 351. (1957) |
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