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BFNA Title: Leskeella |
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XX. LESKEELLA
(Limpricht) Loeske, Moosfl. Harz. 255, 1903 (Genus Leskea and Latin -ella, diminutive) John R. Spence Leskea subgen. Leskeella Limpricht, Laubm. Deutschl. 2: 747, 756. 1895; Anomodon subgen. Leskeella (Limpricht) Kindberg Plants prostrate, in thin mats or patches. Stems slender, creeping, irregularly
branched, secondary branches ascending to erect, often clustered, paraphyllia
absent, rhizoids in clusters arising from base of leaves, older primary stems
becoming stoloniferous. Leaves of
stems and branches slightly differentiated, those of prostrate stems
lanceolate, symmetric, appressed to erect when dry, erect-spreading when wet;
lamina smooth to weakly plicate on either side of costa, apex abruptly to
gradually acuminate or subulate, margins entire to weakly serrulate distally,
recurved proximally; costa strong, nearly reaching apex to percurrent, not forked or sinuose,
flattening and filling acumen, somewhat obscure distally; mid-laminal cells 1--2:1,
smooth, firm-walled, alar cells not well differentiated, laminal cells in
acumen somewhat longer than medial cells; secondary branch leaves smaller,
more ovate-lanceolate, mid-laminal cells mostly 1:1. Specialized asexual reproduction when present by clustered
flagelliform branchlets in axils of distal secondary branch leaves. Sexual condition dioicous;
perichaetial leaves pale translucent, longer and more acuminate. Capsule pyriform to subcylindric,
erect to inclined, mostly symmetric, operculum conic, short-rostrate;
peristome double, reduced, exostome teeth lanceolate or linear-lanceolate,
endostome of moderately high, free, segments irregular to filiform, cilia
rudimentary to absent. Spores
small, finely papillose. Species 4 (1
in the flora): Northern Hemisphere, cool-temperate, montane and boreal-temperate
regions, disjunct in P. Wilson and D.
H. Norris (1989) provide sound arguments for combining Leskeella and Pseudoleskeella. However, I have retained Leskeella pending a worldwide revision
that includes all other species of the genus as well as those of Pseudoleskeella. There appear to be two main groups that do
not correspond to the traditional genera, one consisting of species with
lanceolate, appressed leaves and a strong costa (L. nervosa, P. rupestris,
P. arizonae), and the second of species with ovate-lanceolate catenulate
leaves with a short, often forked costa (P.
tectorum, P. catenulata, P.
papillosa). SELECTED
REFERENCES Lewinsky, J. 1974. The
genera Leskeella and Pseudoleskeella in 1. Leskeella nervosa (Bridel) Loeske, Moosfl. Harz. 255.
1903 Pterigynandrum nervosum Bridel, Muscol. Recent. Suppl. 1: 132.
1806; Leskea nervosa (Bridel)
Myrin; Pseudoleskeella nervosa (Bridel)
Nyholm Plants dark green to blackish green. Stems appressed to substrate,
irregularly branched, secondary branches common, erect and clustered. Leaves of primary stems 0.6--1.2 mm,
lanceolate, narrowed into slender acumen longer than main portion of the lamina,
secondary branch leaves smaller, 0.4--0.8 mm, ovate to ovate-lanceolate,
acute to subulate, leaves of stolons scale-like, distant, ovate or orbicular.
Specialized asexual gemmae of
clustered flagelliform branchlets common in axils of erect, distal secondary
branch leaves. Capsule 2--3 mm,
subcylindric. Spores 13--18 \um. Capsules
mature July--Sept., common on bark of trees, occasionally on calcareous rock,
0--3500 m; Greenland; Alta., B.C., Labr., Man., N.B., Nfld., N.S., Ont.,
Que.; Ariz., Colo., Idaho, Maine, Mich., Minn., Mont., N.Mex., N.C., N.Y.,
Pa., R.I., S.Dak., Utah, Vt., Wis.; Europe; Asia; Atlantic Islands (Iceland). |