Weissia controversa
Weissia occidentalis
controverial weissia moss, green-cushion weissia moss, green-tuft stubble-moss, pigtail 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.
short-lanceolate to elliptic, base weakly or not differentiated in shape, shoulders absent, distal laminal margins sharply incurved or inrolled, apex plane to channeled, acute, mucro usually weak, of 1–3 cells;
costal adaxial stereid band smaller than the abaxial;
distal laminal cells 7–10 µm wide.
elongate, 0.3–0.8 cm.
elongate, 0.1–0.15 cm.
monoicous.
autoicous or paroicous.
stegocarpic, long-ovate to cylindric, operculum differentiated, falling, peristome present, teeth rudimentary to lanceolate, or occasionally absent.
cleistocarpic, short-elliptic, operculum not differentiated, peristome absent.
Weissia controversa
Weissia occidentalis
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 occidentalis is known only from the type collection (Millard County, House Mountains, Swasey Gulch, 1800 m, Flowers 2339, COLO). It has the leaves typical of W. ligulifolia, these being long-elliptical and sharply incurved distally. Weissia inoperculata is superficially similar in its cleistocarpic capsule and elongate seta, but differs by the longer seta and leaves similar to those of Trichostomum brachydontium—stoutly mucronate, broadly elliptical and nearly plane throughout.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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