Thelia asprella
alligator moss, thelia moss
and branch leaves ± similar, 0.8–1 mm;
margins plane throughout or erect to somewhat incurved basally, plane distally, ciliate basally, ciliate-papillose distally;
apex broadly acute to obtuse, acumen spreading-piliferous, occasionally long-apiculate;
laminal cells rhombic nearly throughout, 12–20 × 8–12 µm, papillae usually 3–6-branched.
0.8–1.2 cm.
2–2.5 mm;
operculum 1–1.3 mm.
2–3 mm.
6–10 µm.
Thelia asprella
Thelia asprella is a fairly small species that usually grows in large, dense mats at the base of trees. Thelia asprella and T. hirtella are nearly identical in aspect; both species have terete-foliate, regularly branched, densely radiculose stems, and piliferous leaves. Thelia hirtella differs from T. asprella most clearly in having unbranched laminal cell papillae; in addition, the leaves in T. hirtella are dimorphic with stem leaves much larger and more densely ciliate than the branch leaves. Thelia lescurii is a larger plant than T. asprella that nearly always grows on soil or over rocks. In the field, T. lescurii can often be distinguished from T. asprella because its short-apiculate leaves give the plants a smoothly imbricate appearance. In T. asprella, the piliferous apices are often spreading, giving the plants a ragged appearance.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
IL Wildflowers
KS Wildflowers
LA Plants
MD Biodiversity
MI Flora
MN Wildflowers
MO Plants
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
