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BFNA Title: Vesicularia |
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Hypnaceae -
Vesicularia XXX. VESICULARIA (J. K. A. Müller) J.
K. A. Müller, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 23: 330.
1896 * [Latin vesicularis, like a little bladder,
referring to the lax areolation of the leaf cells] Stephen L. Timme Hypnum subsect. Vesicularia J. K. A. Müller, Syn. Musc. Frond. 2: 233. 1851; Ectropothecium
sect. Vesicularia (J. K. A. Müller)
Renauld Plants small to medium-sized, generally pale-
to yellowish-green, sometimes dark-green, often in shiny mats. Stems
creeping, freely branching, irregular to pinnate, with or without a central
strand. Branches horizontal, simple, somewhat flattened,
pseudoparaphyllia linear to foliose. Leaves
dimorphic, ventral leaves generally smaller than the dorsal leaves, ±
appressed, lanceolate to generally acuminate; dorsal leaves spreading to
secund, somewhat asymmetric, ovate-lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate,
ovate-lanceolate to oblong-ovate, apex acute or short- to long-acuminate,
sometimes apiculate, margins entire or serrulate toward the apex; costa short
and double or lacking. Sexual condition generally autoicous;
perichaetial leaves erect, subulate from an ovoid, oblong-ovoid, or
oblong-ovate base, margins entire, serrulate to somewhat denticulate. Seta elongate, flexuose, smooth,
reddish or reddish orange to yellow-orange, curved just proximal to the
capsule. Capsule horizontal to pendent, ovoid to oblong-ovoid, ±
asymmetric, sometimes constricted proximal to the mouth when dry, annulus
differentiated, exothecial cells quadrate to rectangular, thin-walled, often
collenchymatous, operculum apiculate to short-rostrate, peristome double,
teeth lanceolate, cross-striolate, tubeculate, papillose distally, endostome
with a high basal membrane, segments keeled, cilia present, generally in
groups of 1--3, stomata at the extreme base of the capsule. Calyptra smooth, cucullate. Spores
spherical, finely papillose to nearly smooth. Species
175--190 (1 in the flora).
Southeastern U.S.A., Mexico, West Indies, Central America (Guatemala),
n South America, Africa (including Madagascar), Asia (India, Japan,
Philippines), Indian Ocean Islands, Pacific Islands, Australia. This is a
poorly studied genus and many of its species will undoubtedly be synonymous
with other taxa when the group is studied on a worldwide basis. SELECTED
REFERENCE: Buck, W. R., 1984. Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on West
Indian Hypnaceae. Brittonia 36:
178--183. Salmon, E. S. 1904.
A revision of some species of Ectropothecium. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 31: 309--324. 1. Vesicularia vesicularis (Schwaegrichen) Brotherus in A. Engler
& K. Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 1(3): 1094. 1908 Hypnum
vesiculare
Schwaegrichen, Suppl. Sp. Musc. 2, 2(2): 167, 1827; Ectropothecium vesiculare (Schwaegrichen) Mitten; Vesicularia amphibola (Mitten)
Brotherus; V. crassicaulis (Mitten)
Brotherus; V. caloosiensis ( Plants light- to yellow-green, in thin to
dense mats. Stems with 2--4 rows of thick-walled cells surrounding larger
thick-walled cells, central strand of thin-walled cells. Leaves
somewhat contorted when dry, plane or sometimes falcate-secund; ventral
branch leaves to 1.1 mm, ovate to oblong-ovate, apex apiculate to acuminate;
distal cells lax, hexagonal to oblong-rhomboidal, 2.5--5:1, thick- to
thin-walled, basal cells more elongate, alar cells not or only slightly
differentiated; dorsal and lateral branch leaves to 1.1 mm, ovate, broadly oblong-ovate to
ovate-lanceolate, apex acute to acuminate; distal cells hexagonal,
oblong-hexagonal to somewhat rhomboidal, 2.3--4.1:1, generally thick-walled,
marginal cells noticeably narrower, basal cells more elongate, alar cells not
or only slightly differentiated. Sexual condition autoicous. Seta
13--21 mm. Capsules to 0.9 mm, horizontal or nearly so, sometimes pendent,
often contracted just proximal to the mouth, peristome teeth brown. Shaded, moist soil, humus, logs, or
rocks, occasionally submerged rocks in running water; c and s This species has been introduced in
greenhouses, for example, the Missouri Botanical Garden Climatron, and on
sides of goldfish pools in |
