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pseudoleskeella moss

serpentine pseudoleskeella moss

Habit Plants dark olive green or rarely yellow-green. Plants red, red-brown, or green.
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, homomallous, ovate to lanceolate, abruptly narrowed to apex, weakly concave, not or weakly plicate, 0.3–1.5 mm, 2–3:1;

base not flaring or cordate;

margins plane or rarely recurved proximally, finely serrulate distally;

apex short-acuminate to acuminate, sometimes falcate;

costa single or occasionally 2-fid distally, moderately strong, usually to mid leaf;

medial laminal cells 2:1, walls incrassate.

Branch leaves

ovate to suborbicular, 0.4–0.8 mm;

laminal cell walls moderately incrassate.

ovate to suborbicular, 0.3–1 mm;

laminal cell walls incrassate.

Seta

red-brown, 0.1–0.2 cm.

Capsule

inclined, subcylindric, asymmetric, 1.5–2.5(–3) mm.

Spores

10–18 µm.

Stoloniferous

leaves broadly ovate or suborbicular.

leaves ovate or orbicular.

Sporophytes

unknown.

Pseudoleskeella tectorum

Pseudoleskeella serpentinensis

Phenology Capsules mature summer.
Habitat Shaded calcareous rock, shaded tree bases or wood Serpentine rock
Elevation low to high elevations (0-4000 m) (low to high elevations (0-13100 ft)) low to moderate elevations (50-1000 m) (low to moderate elevations (200-3300 ft))
Distribution
from FNA
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
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
CA; OR
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.)

Of conservation concern.

Pseudoleskeella serpentinensis, considered rare, is known only from sterile and female plants. The reddish color, elongate laminal cells of the stem leaves, serrulate distal leaf margins, and homomallous drawn out leaf apices are diagnostic. On fertile plants, the perichaetial leaves are recurved, whereas they are erect to appressed in the other species. The leaf costae are somewhat flared in the base of the acumen. The stoloniferous leaf medial laminal cells are elongate, 3–6:1.

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

Source FNA vol. 28, p. 365. FNA vol. 28, p. 364.
Parent taxa Leskeaceae > Pseudoleskeella Leskeaceae > Pseudoleskeella
Sibling taxa
P. arizonae, P. rupestris, P. serpentinensis
P. arizonae, P. rupestris, P. tectorum
Synonyms Hypnum tectorum, Pseudoleskea tectorum
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) P. S. Wilson & D. H. Norris: Bryologist 92: 391, figs. 30 – 39. (1989)
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