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tortula moss

Stems

5–20 mm.

10–20 mm.

Leaves

usually in distinct whorls, infolded, somewhat contorted, and weakly to strongly twisted around the stem when dry, wide-spreading to slightly recurved when moist, concave, spatulate, 2–4 × 1–1.5 mm;

margins revolute in the proximal 1/2–3/4, entire;

apices acute or sometimes truncate;

costa excurrent into a long, serrate, hyaline awn (reddish at base), often strongly papillose abaxially and serrulate near the apex because of projecting cell ends, red;

basal cells abruptly differentiated, long-rectangular, 45–80 × 20–30 µm, short-rectangular to quadrate at the margins;

distal cells quadrate to hexagonal, 12–17 µm, slightly bulging, bearing 4–6 papillae per cell.

infolded, twisted, and slightly contorted when dry, erect-spreading with recurved tips when moist, variable in shape and size, usually oblong-ovate, 1.5–2 × 0.75–1.5 mm;

margins revolute in the proximal 1/2–2/3, entire;

apices obtuse but abruptly narrowed to a blunt tip;

costa ending well before the apex, brown, smooth;

basal cells abruptly differentiated, narrower toward the margins;

distal cells rounded, polygonal, or quadrate, 12–18 µm, with 3–5 papillae per cell, thick-walled and collenchymatous.

Seta

red, 10–18 mm.

Sexual condition

synoicous (apparently rarely dioicous).

dioicous (perigonia and sporophytes unknown).

Capsule

brownish red, 3–4 mm, slightly curved, with a distinct neck;

operculum 1.5–2 mm, brown;

peristome ca. 1.5 mm, the distal divisions twisted about 2 turns, red, the basal membrane white, 1/2–2/3 the total length.

Spores

9–13 µm, papillose.

Specialized

asexual reproduction absent.

asexual reproduction absent.

Syntrichia princeps

Syntrichia cainii

Habitat Humus, soil, rock, tree bark Limestone
Elevation low to moderate elevations moderate elevations
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; BC; Mexico; w South America; s South America; Europe; w Asia; Africa; Pacific Islands (Hawaii, New Zealand); Australia; Antarctica
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
ON
Discussion

The synoicous condition of Syntrichia princeps is diagnostic if present, but otherwise one must rely on wider basal leaf cells, costal hydroids, and the stem central strand to separate this species from S. ruralis, S. papillosissima, and S. norvegica. The more acute leaves with cells generally smaller, and costa reddish and serrulate separate it from S. obtusissima.

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

Plants identified as Syntrichia cainii from elsewhere in North America (e.g., Kansas, Colorado, and California) are probably incorrectly identified. The difficulty comes from several other species (especially S. norvegica) having scattered neotenic races in which the mature leaves lack awns and thus appear superficially similar to S. cainii. More detailed research, including culture studies, is needed to better understand and distinguish these forms.

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

Source FNA vol. 27, p. 624. FNA vol. 27, p. 620.
Parent taxa Pottiaceae > subfam. Pottioideae > Syntrichia Pottiaceae > subfam. Pottioideae > Syntrichia
Sibling taxa
S. ammonsiana, S. amphidiacea, S. bartramii, S. cainii, S. caninervis, S. chisosa, S. fragilis, S. laevipila, S. latifolia, S. montana, S. norvegica, S. obtusissima, S. papillosa, S. papillosissima, S. ruralis, S. sinensis
S. ammonsiana, S. amphidiacea, S. bartramii, S. caninervis, S. chisosa, S. fragilis, S. laevipila, S. latifolia, S. montana, S. norvegica, S. obtusissima, S. papillosa, S. papillosissima, S. princeps, S. ruralis, S. sinensis
Synonyms Tortula princeps Tortula cainii
Name authority (De Notaris) Mitten: J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot., suppl. 1: 39. (1859) (H. A. Crum & L. E. Anderson) R. H. Zander: Bull. Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sci. 32: 267. (1993)
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