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sematophyllum moss

sematophyllum moss

Habit Plants small to medium-sized, green to yellow-green, glossy. Plants small to medium-sized, green or yellowish, dull.
Stems

0.5–2.5 cm, branches sometimes ascending.

0.3–0.6 cm, branches reclining.

Leaves

straight or occasionally homomallous, oblong-ovate, tapering gradually to apex, 1–1.2 mm;

margins reflexed proximally;

apex acute;

alar cells enlarged, inflated, yellow, in 1 row, supra-alar cells few, quadrate to short;

laminal cells rhombic to flexuose.

homomallous, ovate to oblong-lanceolate, tapering abruptly to apex, 0.5–1.1 mm;

margins reflexed;

apex short-acuminate;

alar cells somewhat enlarged, not inflated, light brown, in 1 row, supra-alar cells in several rows, quadrate;

laminal cells rhomboidal to elliptic.

Seta

0.8–1.2 cm.

0.5–1 cm.

Capsule

inclined to horizontal, 1 mm.

suberect, 1–1.5 mm.

Specialized

asexual reproduction absent.

asexual reproduction absent.

Sematophyllum demissum

Sematophyllum subpinnatum

Phenology Capsules mature summer. Capsules mature winter.
Habitat Wet siliceous rock near streams Logs, bark of trees, humid forests, soil
Elevation low to moderate elevations low elevations
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; CT; FL; GA; IA; KS; LA; MI; MO; NC; NY; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; NS
from FNA
FL; LA; HI; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies; e Asia; Africa; Australia
Discussion

Sematophyllum demissum resembles Hageniella micans in many respects, but H. micans is distinguished by its strong double costa and toothed acumen. Also, exothecial cells of Sematophyllum are collenchymatous; those of Hageniella are not.

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

Sematophyllum subpinnatum sometimes persists briefly in greenhouses.

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

Source FNA vol. 28, p. 574. FNA vol. 28, p. 574.
Parent taxa Sematophyllaceae > Sematophyllum Sematophyllaceae > Sematophyllum
Sibling taxa
S. adnatum, S. marylandicum, S. subpinnatum
S. adnatum, S. demissum, S. marylandicum
Synonyms Hypnum demissum, H. carolinianum, S. carolinianum Leskea subpinnata, S. caespitosum
Name authority (Wilson) Mitten: J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 8: 5. (1864) (Bridel) E. Britton: Bryologist 21: 28. (1918)
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