Weissia controversa
Weissia inoperculata
controverial weissia moss, green-cushion weissia moss, green-tuft stubble-moss, pigtail moss
weissia moss
short- to long-lanceolate, base weakly differentiated to ovate, shoulders weak or absent, distal laminal margins strongly and usually but not always sharply incurved or inrolled, apex plane to channeled, acute, mucro usually weak, of 1–5(–8) cells;
costal adaxial stereid band smaller than the abaxial;
distal laminal cells 6–13 µm wide.
elliptic, base weakly or not differentiated in shape, shoulders absent, distal laminal margins plane to erect, rarely incurved, apex plane, acute to rounded-acute, mucro usually strong, of (3–)4–6(–7) cells;
costal adaxial stereid band smaller than the abaxial;
distal laminal cells 8–10(–13) µm wide.
elongate, 0.3–0.8 cm.
elongate, 0.2–0.3 cm.
monoicous.
dioicous (perigoniate plants mixed with the archegoniate).
stegocarpic, long-ovate to cylindric, operculum differentiated, falling, peristome present, teeth rudimentary to lanceolate, or occasionally absent.
cleistocarpic, short-elliptic, operculum weakly differentiated, peristome absent.
Weissia controversa
Weissia inoperculata
This treatment of Weissia controversa follows the study of A. Stoneburner (1985), which justifiably included W. andrewsii, and, agreeing with H. A. Crum and L. E. Anderson (1981), pointed out the great variation in peristome development including occurrence of both eperistomate and peristomate capsules in the same collection. The present treatment includes all flora area reports of W. condensa, a morphologically distinct European species with characters as listed in Excluded Species. Rhizoidal gemmae were reported by W. D. Reese (1988) but these are apparently rare. Weissia viridula Bridel is an illegitimate name that has been much used for this taxon.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Weissia inoperculata is known only from the type specimen (Stanford University, Santa Clara County). It has a gametophyte much like that of Trichostomum brachydontium and may prove better placed in Trichostomum. The operculum is weakly marked off by a ring of several rows of small cells.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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