Schistidium apocarpum
Schistidium strictum
schistidium moss
1.2–12 cm, central strand weak or absent.
1–5(–11) cm, central strand absent or indistinct.
erect or curved, rarely (falcate-) secund when dry, ovate-lanceolate, sharply keeled distally, (1.3–)1.7–2.5(–3.2) mm, 1-stratose or rarely 2-stratose in striae distally;
margins usually recurved throughout or to just before the apex, usually denticulate distally, 1 or 2-stratose;
apices acute or sub-obtuse;
costa percurrent or excurrent as a smooth or weakly denticulate, occasionally decurrent awn, abaxial surface often papillose;
basal marginal cells usually quadrate;
distal laminal cells mostly short-rectangular, 8–10 µm wide, smooth, sinuose.
erect or curved, usually imbricate below stem apex when dry, narrowly ovate-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, sharply keeled distally, 1.4–2.8 mm, 1-stratose, sometimes with 2-stratose patches distally;
margins usually recurved to just before the apex, usually denticulate distally, 2-stratose or multistratose, sometimes 1-stratose;
apices acute;
costa percurrent or excurrent as a denticulate, occasionally decurrent, usually short awn, abaxial surface papillose;
basal marginal cells quadrate or short-rectangular;
distal laminal cells ovate or short-rectangular, 8–10 µm wide, papillose, sinuose.
autoicous.
autoicous.
dark red or brown, short-cylindric, 0.7–1.3 mm;
exothecial cells usually quadrate, sometimes mixed with short-elongate or oblate cells, thin-walled, usually trigonous;
stomata present;
peristome patent or erect, often twisted, 350–600(–700) µm, red, densely papillose, usually perforated.
dark red-brown, usually cupulate, 0.7–1.2 mm;
exothecial cells mostly isodiametric, quadrate or irregularly angular, thin-walled or unevenly thick-walled;
stomata present;
peristome squarrose to revolute, twisted, red, 330–550 µm, papillose, entire or weakly perforated.
11–14(–19) µm, granulose or smooth.
10–15 µm, granulose or verruculose.
Schistidium apocarpum
Schistidium strictum
Although H. H. Blom (1996) considered Schistidium apocarpum to be restricted in the flora area to the eastern portions of North America, it is more widespread and scattered across the continent. The denticulate leaf margins, papillose abaxial costal surface, short-cylindrical capsules, and the thin-walled, often evenly quadrate exothecial cells are distinguishing characters. The long peristome teeth are also useful in identifying S. apocarpum. In good condition the peristome can only be confused with that of S. trichodon, which differs in the darker, often black color of its plants, the peristome teeth often forming a dome, and the cylindrical capsules that retain the columella.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Although this species has been reported widely across North America, it appears to be restricted to the northwestern portions of the continent. See comments under 5. Schistidium boreale regarding differences among S. strictum and other North American species of the genus with papillose laminal cells.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
BC
MI Flora
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
