BFNA Title: Plectocolea
Author: V. Bakalin
Date: April 11, 2016
Edit Level: R
Version: 1

Bryophyte Flora of North America, Provisional Publication
Missouri Botanical Garden
BFNA Web site: http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/BFNA/bfnamenu.htm

Notice

Return to Home

XX. PLECTOCOLEA (Mitten) Mitten, Fl. Vit., 405. 1871 * [Greek, pleko, turbinate, and koleos, vagina, alluding to the turbinate distal perianth]

Solenostoma subg. Plectocolea Mitten, J. Proc. Linn. Soc. Bot. 8: 156 1865; Jungermannia Linnaeus subg. Plectocolea (Mitten) Amakawa

Plants 3--150 x 0.6--5 mm, prostrate to ascending or erect, yellowish brown, brownish, reddish brown, or deep green . Stem transversely elliptic in cross section, branching lateral intercalary or ventral, rarely as postical innovations and scale-like leaved strongly rhizogenous branches; dorsal surface cells rectangular to usually linear, thin- to thick-walled with distinct or indistinct trigones, cuticle mostly striolate; stem cross section mostly differentiated in 2--3 layers, with the outer as a hyaloderm, or if hyaloderm absent a scleroderm, in some species the differentiation may be unclear to virtually absent. Rhizoids red, red-brown to purple, blackish brown to green, almost always brown with purple or purplish pigmentation at least as traces. Leaves distant to contiguous, never imbricate, obliquely inserted, mostly distinctly decurrent dorsally and sometimes ventrally, midleaf cells subisodiametric, mostly 5--6-gonal, walls colorless to yellowish and brownish, slightly thickened to evidently thickened or thin-walled, trigones distinct in most species, mostly concave, rarely large and convex. Sexual condition dioicous or paroicous. Perianth terminal on main axis, conical to tubular and pyriform, 2-stratose in proximal third, of long-rectangular to semi-linear cells at mid perianth. Perigynium always well-developed reaching 1/2--2/3 times the perianth length. Androecia intercalary, with 1--10 pairs of bracts (frequently androecial branch with dead androecia distally), 1--3 antheridia per bract, stalk 2-seriate. Capsule wall 2-stratose. Elaters 2-spiralled, always with homogenous ends, more or less elongate, 1/5--1/10 times the elater length.

Species ca. 50 (7 in the flora): North America, Central America, South America, Eurasia, Africa, Australia, Pacific Islands.

The exact number of Plectocolea species is unknown because many taxa not yet revised have been described from Eastern Asia.

SELECTED REFERENCES Doyle W. T. and R. E. Stotler. 2006. Contribution toward a bryoflora of California III. Keys and Annotated species Catalogue for Liverworts and Hornworts. Madroño.53: 89--197.  Damsholt, K. and J. Váňa. 1977. The genus Jungermannia L. emend. Dumort. (Hepaticae) in  Greenland. Lindbergia. 4: 1--26. Godfrey, J. D. and G. A. Godfrey. 1979. Jungermannia schusteriana, a new hepatic from the Pacific coast of North America. J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 46: 109--117. Hicks, M. L. 1992. Guide to the Liverworts of North Carolina. Durham, North Carolina. Schuster, R. M. 1969. The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America. Vol. 2. New York and London. Schuster, R. M. 1988. The Hepaticae of South Greenland. Beih. Nova Hedwigia 92 . Váňa, J. and  W. S. Hong. 1999. The genus Jungermannia in western North America. Lindbergia 24:133--144.

1. Plants dioicous, leaves with distinct rim of swollen cells, far eastern portion of flora … 1. Plectocolea crenuliformis

1. Plants paroicous or dioicous, leaves without distinct rim of swollen cells rim, although marginal cells may be more intensively colored.

2. Plants paroicous.

3. Plants pellucid, merely soft, light green to yellowish green, leaves obliquely oriented, leaf margin (especially in distal part of plant) frequently undulate. Perigynium low, ca. 1/3 times the perianth length or less; rhizoids purplish … 2. Plectocolea fossombronioides

3. Plants not pellucid, merely rigid, deep green to brownish green and (when small) almost constantly with marked traces of purple coloration; leaves not undulate, more or less vertically oriented at least in normally developed shoots. Perigynium more than 1/2 times perianth length; rhizoids purple to brownish.

4. Plants large, wider than 2.2 mm, rhizoids purple, leaves vertically oriented … 4. Plectocolea obovata

4. Plants small, less than 2 mm in width, rhizoids purplish to brownish, leaves vertically to obliquely oriented … 7. Plectocolea subelliptica

2. Plants dioicous.

5. Plants pale green to pale yellowish brownish to brownish-green, leaves in larger plants frequently undulate at margin, shoots mostly less than 2 mm in width, perigynium ca. 1/2 of perianth length, rhizoids pale purplish to almost colorless and brownish … 3. Plectocolea hyalina

5. Plants deep to dark green, brown green, purplish brown and blackish green, leaves not or slightly undulate at margin (in plants larger than 3 mm in width), shoots mostly wider than 2 mm, perigynium the same size or longer than perianth, rhizoids purple.

6. Plants 1.4--2.1 mm wide, perigynium from 1--1.5 times longer than perianth, oil-bodies granulate  … 5. Plectocolea obscura

6. Plants 2.1--4.8 mm wide, perigynium 2 times longer than perianth, oil-bodies in the midleaf commonly botryoidal … 6. Plectocolea schusteriana

1. Plectocolea crenuliformis (Austin) Mitten, Trans. Linn. Soc. Bot. Ser. 2, 3: 198. 1891 E

Jungermannia crenuliformis Austin, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 3: 10 1872; Solenostoma crenuliforme (Austin) Stephani

Plants 3--15(--20) x 1.1--2.5 mm, prostrate to ascending, yellowish brown, brownish to brown reddish, with characteristically more deeply colored leaf margin, rarely in shady places pale greenish to whitish and very soft and gentle; female plants larger than the sterile. Stem 105--360(--385) \um in width and 80--250(--305) \um in height, branching lateral intercalary or ventral, the latter rare; dorsal surface cells 63--175 x (12--)15--25 \um, linear, rectangular to obliquely rectangular, walls thin to very thick and brownish (ca. 2.5--3.5 \um in thickness), trigones indistinct, cuticle loosely striolate; in the stem cross section there are at least four variants of structure: (1) three-layered with outer cells (hyaloderm) ca. 17--30 \um in diameter, thin-walled, walls colorless, middle stratum (scleroderm), cells ca. 12--15 \um in diameter, thick-walled, walls yellowish, inner cells ca. 12--23 \um in diameter, slightly thick-walled to thin-walled; (2) in the stem cross section there are 2 strata: outer with slightly thick-walled cells, ca. 25--27 \um in diameter, inner with cell wall thin to slightly thickened, cells mostly hexagonal, ca. 25--37 \um in diameter, cell walls colorless; (3) no distinct differentiation in the stem cross section, walls become thicker to dorsal side, outer cells larger, ca. 25--33 in diameter, inner smaller, ca. 20--25 in diameter, becoming smaller near ventral side; (4) outer cells smaller than inner, ca. 17--23 \um in diameter, thick-walled, walls brownish, but in ventral side outer cells rather thin-walled, walls purplish, inner cells slightly thick-walled, walls flexuous, ca. 25--35 \um in diameter, trigones indistinct to small concave. Rhizoids red, red-brown to purple, blackish brown and brown, sparse to numerous and dense in indistinct fascicles, decurrent along the stem or erect. Leaves distant, inserted at angle 15--45º with stem axis, dorsally decurrent for 1/4 of stem width, ventrally subtransversely inserted, insertion line loosely arcuate to straight, 775--1185 x 775--1400 \um (0.95--1.3:1), widest at the middle or slightly below, flattened to loosely concave and concave-channeled, obliquely lingulate to obliquely ovate, oval, transversely oval, reniform and suborbicular; cells at mid leaf 30--45(--50) x 20--38(-45) \um, subisodiametric, mostly 5--6-gonal, lumen mostly rounded, walls colorless to yellowish, slightly thickened, trigones moderate in size, mostly concave, more rarely triangular and large in size and then convex; cells along margin (15--)28--45(--50) \um, very thick-walled to thin-walled (in shady phases), but external wall almost invariantly thickened, walls colorless, yellowish to brownish and yellowish brownish with more deeply colored external wall, cuticle smooth to verrucose near ventral leaf base or rarely everywhere. Oil-bodies (1--)2--3(--5) per cell, ellipsoidal to shortly fusiform, 6--9 x 3--6 \um. Sexual condition dioicous. Perianth terminal on main axis, conical, in distal part pluriplicate, but with 3--5 main plicae, gradually narrowed to the mouth, ca. 700--1050 x 700 \um, immersed to exerted up 1/4, mouth crenulate, composed of more or less short (ca. 1.5 as long as wide) cells, cells at mid leaf 25--43 x 15--20 \um, rectangular to oblong rectangular, strongly thick-walled, walls pink-rose to purplish, cuticle smooth. Perigynium 1/2--3/4 of perianth length; bracts just below perianth, in 1--2 pair, similar to sterile leaves, but longer, ca. 1050--1225 x 1070--1190 \um, oval to oblong-lingulate, sometimes (pairs developed on the perigynium) shortly retuse at apex, widest at middle or in the proximal 1/3 of the bract, adherent to perianth and perigynium at the base and channeled and deflexed away from the perianth in distal half. Androecia intercalary in 3--4 pairs of bracts (frequently androecial branch dying distally), with 2 antheridia per bract, stalk 2-seriate, ca. 50 x 22 \um; bracts with slightly, but distinctly developed border rim. Sporophytes unknown.

On circum-neutral to acidic rocks, sandstone, along shaded rocky streams, or in disturbed areas in forested lowlands; 0--550 m; Ont., Que.; Ark., Conn., Ga., Ill., Ind., Kans., Ky., Mich., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., S.C., Tenn., W.Va., Wis. Endemic.

2. Plectocolea fossombronioides (Austin) Mitten, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, Bot., ser 2. 3: 198 1891

Jungermannia fossombronioides Austin, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 1869: 220. 1869;  Solenostoma fossombronioides (Austin) R. M. Schuster

Plants very soft, 3--6 x 0.7--1 mm, prostrate to ascending (near apex of fertile shoot), pale brownish, whitish, yellowish brown; fertile plants slightly larger than sterile. Stem 105--175 \um in width and 100--165 \um in height, dorsal surface cells ca. 70--87 x 25--30 \um, thin-walled or slightly thickened, trigones indistinct; stem cross section composed of mostly thin-walled cells, mostly penta- to hexagonal in cross section, ca. 20--38 \um in diameter, smaller near ventral side, walls colorless to brownish, trigones absent or barely visible. Rhizoids dense, brown-red to (more rare) purplish and pale brownish, rigid, separated one from other, or sometimes in indistinct fascicles, originated at 90º with the stem. Leaves distant to contiguous, inserted at angle 15--20º with stem, dorsally shortly decurrent (not more than 1/5 of stem width), ventrally inserted at angle 50--60º with axis, not decurrent; 600--700 x 490--600 \um (0.8--0.9:1), lingulate to ovate, widest between 1/2 and 1/3 of leaf length, flattened to obscurely concave, the biggest leaves frequently undulate at margin; cells at mid leaf thin-walled, 38--60 x 35--43 \um, walls brownish to colorless, trigones small, concave; along margin 25--35 \um, slightly elongated along margin, walls thin, colorless; cuticle smooth everywhere. Oil-bodies 2--5(--8) per cell, 6--8 x 8--22 \um. Sexual condition paroicous, but occasionally with some branches androecious only (heteroicous). Perianth terminal on main axis, no innovations, emergent for 1/3--2/3 of its length, tubular, pentaplicatae when mature (1-dorsal, 2-lateral, 2-ventral) or pluriplicate, obscurely tightened to the mouth, perianth composed by uniformly elongated cells, ca. 70--85 x 25--33 \um, walls thin, trigones small to indistinct, cuticle smooth. Perigynium 3/4--1/1 of the perianth length, with 2 pairs of bracts; bracts just below perianth, in 2 pair, the same shape as male bracts. Androecia just below female bracts (or, occasionally only in separate branches, in heteroicous plants), in 2--3(--4) pairs of bracts (if in separate branches then 3--4 pairs of bracts), with 1--2 antheridia per bract, antheridial body shortly elliptical to spherical, ca. 120--170 x 120--170 \um, stalk 2-seriate, ca. 38 x 25 \um; bracts strongly inflated near the base with margin (especially the pair nearest to the perichaetium) deflexed away of the perianth. Seta ca. 150 \um in diameter. Capsule shortly ellipsoidal, ca. 700 x 630 \um, 2-stratose, inner cells, long-rectangular 50--100 x 7.5--13 \um, with 5--8 annular thickenings, outer cells subquadrate to rectangular, ca. 33--55 x 40--43 \um with 2--3 nodular thickenings in vertical wall, and 0--2 on the horizontal one. Elaters 2-spiral, ca. 165 x 7.5 \um, with homogenous endings, ca. 30 \um length, spores brown to brown reddish, spherical, finely papillose, 15--16 \um in diameter.

Soil-covered rocks along streams, occasionally pioneer on sedimentary or slightly metamorphosed rocks, temperate species distributed in forested areas; 0--900; Conn., D.C., Ga., Ill., Ind., Kans., Minn., Miss., N.J., N.C., Ohio, S.C., W.Va.

The capsule of Plectocolea fossombronioides matures in mid April.

3. Plectocolea hyalina (Lyell) Mitten, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, Bot. Ser. 2, 3: 198. 1891

Jungermannia hyalina Lyell, Brit. Jungermann. Pl. 63. 1814; Solenostoma hyalinum (Lyell) Mitten

Plants 3--8 x 0.7--1.4 mm (--1.75 in perianthous shoots), prostrate, loosely adhering to the substratum, pale green to pale yellowish brownish to brownish green; female plants larger for 1.5 times than male and sterile. Stem 140--210 \um in width and 100--170 \um in height, branching rarely occur ventral; in the stem cross section outer cells ca. 17--25 \um in diameter, mostly 5--6-gonal, walls thin-walled, inner cells ca. 23--30 \um in diameter, mostly 5--6-gonal, thin-walled, trigones indistinct. Rhizoids dense to isolated, brownish to reddish brown, at angle 90º with stem, often in dense fascicles (mostly in weak and male branches) or loosely decurrent down the stem. Leaves distant, inserted at angle of 10--20° with axis, dorsally barely decurrent, ventrally subtransversely inserted, sometimes insertion line arcuate, not decurrent; 400--975 x 400--1175 \um (1:0.85--1.1), transversely oval to widely lingulate, ovate and reniform, the biggest leaves (near the shoot apex) are frequently retuse and undulate, down the stem leaves become ovoid to widely ovate, widest in the middle in larger leaves or at proximal 1/3 in smaller, mostly flattened to (near apex) loosely concave-channeled; cells at mid leaf thin-walled, 33--50 x 28--50 \um, subisodiametric, trigones indistinct or very small and concave to convex, walls colorless; along margin 20--43 \um, thin-walled, trigones small concave to convex and bulging, sometimes with intermediate thickening in tangential wall, external wall thickened, sometimes loosely; cuticle smooth with the exception of the proximal third, where it is obscurely papillose. Oil-bodies 2--5(--10) per cell, 8--15(--22) x (4--)6--8 \um, finely granulate. Sexual condition dioicous. Perianth terminal on main axis, immersed to emergent for 1/2 of its length, mostly fusiform to fusiform-conical, pluriplicate and turbinate to the mouth, ca. 1000--1225 x 500--600 \um. Perigynium ca. 1/2 of perianth length. Androecia below perianth, commonly separated from the latter by 1--3 pairs of sterile leaves, in 3--4 pairs of bracts, ca. 900--1000 x 600--1080 \um, trapezoidal to ovate, shortly 2--lobate to retuse, with 1--2 antheridia per bract, body ellipsoidal 170--200 x 140--180 \um, brown, stalk 2-seriate, ca. 100--140 x 15--20 \um. Capsule ovoid. Elaters 2-spiral, 9 \um wide. Spores brownish, 14-17 \um in diameter.

On wet soil or soil covered rocks, sometimes among mosses in wet mossy tundras; 0--2500; Greenland; Alta., B.C., Ont., Que., Ala.; Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Conn., D.C., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., Maine, Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mont., N.H., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Oreg., Pa., S.C., Va., Wash., Wis., Wyo.; Eurasia, Africa.

4. Plectocolea obovata (Nees) Mitten Fl. Vit., 405 1873

Jungermannia obovata Nees Naturgesch. Eur. Leberm., 1: 332 1833

Solenostoma obovatum (Nees) R.M. Schuster Hep. Anth. N. Amer., 2: 1007 1969

Plants 4--15 mm in length and 2.2--2.5 mm width, ascending, dirty yellowish green, yellowish greenish, dirty yellowish brown. Stem 240--290 \um in width and 120--180 \um in height, branching rarely occur lateral or ventral; dorsal surface cells 63--125 x 20--23 \um, long rectangular, obliquely rectangular to linear, walls slightly thickened, trigones indistinct to concave and small; in the stem cross section outer cells slightly larger than inner ones, ca. 20--25 \um in diameter, walls slightly thickened, inner ca. 12--23 \um in diameter, mostly 5--6-gonal, trigones indistinct. Rhizoids deep purple, sparse, decurrent down the stem. Leaves distant to contiguous, inserted at angle 15--20° with axis, dorsally clearly decurrent up 1/3 of the stem width, ventrally inserted subtransversely, insertion line arched, not decurrent; 1050--1225 x 1050--1120 \um (1: 0.9--1.15), lingulate to trapezoidal, sometimes shortly 2--lobed or retuse at apex, flattened to concave; cells at mid leaf 20--25 x 15--22 \um, mostly 4--5--angular, walls colorless, slightly thickened, trigones distinct, mostly concave, rarely triangular; along margin 15--18 \um, thin-walled, walls yellowish to yellowish brownish, trigones triangle to slightly convex, cuticle smooth. Oil-bodies 2--5(-6) per cell, sphaerical 4--8(-10) \um in diameter to ellipsoidal 6--15(-20)x4--8(-10) \um. Sexual condition paroicous. Perianth terminal, emergent from bracts for 1/4 of its length, conical, pluriplicate, sometimes turbinate, ca. 750 x 750 \um, perigynium 3/2--4/2 of perianth length, bracts the same size with antheridial bracts, adherent to perigynium in the base, apex deflexed. Androecia below perianths, commonly divided from the latter by 1--3 pairs of sterile leaves, in 3--4 pairs of bracts, ca. 900--1000 x 600--1080 \um, trapezoidal to ovate, shortly bilobate to retuse, with 1--2 antheridia per bract, body ellipsoidal 170--200 x 140--180 \um, brown, stalk 2-seriate, ca. 100--140 x 15--20 \um. Seta ca 150 \um in diameter and 9000 \um length. Capsule 500--1000 \um in length, ellipsoidal, capsule wall 2-stratose, outer cell subquadrate to rectangular, 20--40 x 28--35 \um with 2 nodular thickenings in each vertical wall, inner cells irregularly linear, 30--90 x 8--20 \um with 6--11 annular thickenings. Elaters ca. 150 x 12, 2-spiral, with narrowed homogenous ends. Spores finely papillose, spherical, 20--22 \um in diameter.

On shaded wet rocks and soil near streams, rarely submerged, mostly in tundra zone or belt; 0--2000 m; Greenland; Alta., B.C., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), Que.; Alaska, Calif., Maine, Mont., N.H., Oreg., Vt., Wash.; Eurasia.

5. Plectocolea obscura (A. Evans) A. Evans in Buch, A. Evans & Verdoorn, Ann. Bryol. 10: 42. 1938

Nardia obscura A. Evans, Rhodora 21: 159. 1919; Jungermannia evansii Váňa

Plants 4--8 x 1.4--2.1 mm, prostrate to ascending, green brownish, with light purplish traces near apices; female plants larger. Stem 200--400 \um in width and 120--300 \um in height, dorsal surface cells long-rectangular to obliquely rectangular, ca. 75--150 x 15--23 \um, mostly thin-walled with indistinct trigones; in the stem cross section there are 3 strata: outer (hyaloderm) with thin external wall and moderately thickened other walls, ca. 12--25 \um in diameter, medium (scleroderm) composed by thick-walled cells, walls yellowish in color, ca. 12--20 \um in diameter, inner with cell wall thin to moderately thickened, cells mostly polygonal, ca. 12--22 \um in diameter, cell walls colorless. Rhizoids purple, rigid, in a bundle or separated one from other, angled at 90º with stem. Leaves distant to contiguous, inserted at angle of 15--30° with axis, dorsally shortly, but distinctly decurrent; 1050--1225 x 980--1190 \um (0.85--0.95:1), oval to ovate, widest at midleaf or slightly below, with rounded to retuse apex, adherent to the stem in the base and flattened and erect above; cells at mid leaf thin-walled, subisodiametric 28--38 x 25--33 \um, trigones convex; along margin 15--23 \um, thin-walled with convex trigones; cuticle distinctly papillose in the proximal third of the leaf, in distal parts papillae very obscure or absent. Oil-bodies 2--5(--10) per cell, ovoid to ellipsoidal, 5--9 x 6--14 \um. Sexual condition dioicous. Perianth terminal on main axis, immersed, conical loosely pluriplicate with 3--4 main plicae those are undulate to the mouth, ca. 700 x 600 \um, perianth mouth crenulate, perianth in distal part 1-stratose, cells mostly rectangular, 25--43 x 17--18 \um, walls thin, trigones small, cuticle smooth or finely papillose, perianth in proximal part 2-stratose, cells mostly oblong rectangular, 38--50 x 10--25 \um, walls thin to thickened, trigones small and concave, cuticle distinctly striolate papillose. Perigynium ca. 1/1--3/2 of the perianth length, with 1--1.5 pairs of bracts; bracts just below perianth, in 1--2 pairs, lingulate, adherent to perianth and perigynium at the base and deflexed away the perianth in distal half, 1470--1750 x 1015--1470 (0.7--0.9:1). Androecia intercalary in 2--3 pairs of bracts, with 1--3 antheridia per bract, stalk 2-seriate, ca. 50--63 x 15--18 \um; bracts strongly inflated in base, but deflexed away the stem in distal part. Sporophytes unknown.

On wet acidic rocks near streams, largely a montane in subalpine habitats; 0--2000 m; Greenland; B.C.; Alaska, Ga., Maine, Mass., N.H., N.Y., N.C., Oreg., Tenn., Vt., Wash.; e Asia.

6. Plectocolea schusteriana (J. D. Godfrey & G. Godfrey) Bakalin, Bot. Pacif. 3: 92. 2014 E

Jungermannia schusterana J. D. Godfrey & G. Godfrey, J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 46: 109, fig. 1--3. 1979; Solenostoma schusterianum (J. D. Godfrey & G. Godfrey) Váňa, Hentschel & J. Heinrichs

Plants 20--150 x 2.1--5 mm, ascending to erect, deep green, brownish deep green and green brown and green-purple (due to purple colored ventral bases of leaves); female plants slightly larger than male and sterile and have mainly retuse leaves (even far down of perianth). Stem 280--525 \um in width and 220--400 \um in height, dorsal surface cells thin-walled, mostly elongate-rectangular to obliquely rectangular and linear, 70--125 x 15--20 \um, trigones small and concave, cuticle distinctly striolate; in the stem cross section there are 3 strata: outer (hyaloderm) moderately thick-walled to almost thin-walled, ca. 12--25 \um in diameter, walls brown (external wall more deeply) to purplish and purple colored, medium (scleroderm) very thick-walled with commonly visible median lamina of cell wall, ca. 17--25 \um in diameter, inner thin-walled to moderately thick-walled, ca. 17--38 \um in diameter, with indistinct trigones and walls mostly colorless. Rhizoids uncommon in male and sterile shoots, but more or more dense on female, purple to brown-purple, in the bundle or separated one from other or in indistinct fascicles. Leaves distant to contiguous, inserted at angle of 50° with axis, dorsally decurrent for 1/2--2/2 of the stem width, ventrally subtransversely inserted, line insertion arcuate, decurrent for 1/2--2/2 of stem width; (875--)1100--2400 x (830--)1000--2000 \um (0.6--0.9(--15):1), oval to ovate-oval, obliquely ovate, widest slightly between 1--2/1/3 of proximal part of leaf, with rounded to acuminate or retuse apex, adherent to the stem in the base, but channeled and deflexed or erect in distal 2/3 of leaf; cells at mid leaf thin-walled, subisodiametric to oblong 35--50(-58) x 33--43 \um, trigones large and bulging; along margin 20--38 \um, with slightly to obviously thickened external wall; cuticle finely striolate everywhere but more markedly in proximal part or sometimes loosely developed. Oil-bodies of the grape-cluster type, consisting of distinctly glistening, homogenous globules, (1--)2--6(--8) per cell., spheric (5--)6--15 \um in diameter to ovoid 6--14 x 7--19 \um. Sexual condition dioicous. Perianth terminal on main axis, immersed to emergent for 1/3 of its length, conical pluriplicate and turbinate to the mouth, ca. 490 x 490 \um, perianth in distal part 1-stratose, cells rectangular to obliquely rectangular, 38--75 x 10--13 \um, walls thickened, yellowish colored, perianth in proximal part 2-stratose, cells linear to oblong rectangular, 125--200 x 20--25 \um, walls moderately thickened. Perigynium rhizogenous ventrally, 2 times longer than perianth; bracts just below perianth, in 2 pairs (due to high and robust perigynium), ovate shortly 2-lobed, 1250--1400 x 1250--1300 (0.95--1.1:1). Androecia intercalary in 8--13 pairs of bracts, with 1--2 antheridia per bract, stalk 2-seriate, ca. 63 x 18 \um; bracts slightly inflated in base, but flattened and deflexed away the stem above, purplish to deep-green purple in inflated area, more or less similar in shape to sterile leaves, but complicated on a micro-slide due to inflation in the base. Capsule with outer cells 30--58 x 22--34 \um, each cell with 2--4 nodular thickenings on each vertical wall and with 0--2 on horizontal wall; inner cells 40--110 x 10--22 \um. Elaters 8--12 \um in width, 2-spiral. Spores reddish to golden-brown, 14--18 \um in diameter.

On wet rocks in streams, mostly in coniferous forest and crooked forests in oceanic regions; 0--1200 m; B.C.; Alaska, Wash. Endemic.

7. Plectocolea subelliptica (Lindberg ex Heeg) A. Evans in H. Buch, A. Evans & Verdoorn, Ann. Bryol., 10: 42. 1938

Nardia subelliptica Lindberg ex Heeg, Verh. K.K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien

Plants 3--5 x 0.6--1 mm, erect to (rarely) ascending, brownish green, yellowish brown, sepia-brown; fertile plants larger than the sterile. Stem 210--280 \um in width and 200--270 \um in height; dorsal surface cells 43--75 x 10--13 \um, long-rectangular to linear, cuticle distinctly striolate-papillose; in the stem cross section thick-walled, with the exception of external wall of outer layer(!), walls brownish to colorless in inner portion, trigones small, concave, outer cells ca. 30--40 \um in diameter. Rhizoids reddish to purplish and brown to nearly colorless. Leaves inserted at 40--80° with axis, dorsally shortly decurrent ca. 1/5 of the stem width, ventrally inserted subtransversely, not decurrent; 525--735 x 525--875 \um (1: 0.85--1), suborbicular to widely ovate and ovate-lingulate, widest near the middle or at proximal 1/3, distinctly, but not strongly concave-channeled; cells at mid leaf thin-walled, subisodiametric, 22--30 x 22--28 \um, walls colorless, trigones distinct, convex; along margin 20--25 \um, thin-walled, walls colorless to brownish, trigones triangular to convex, cuticle striolate in proximal 1/3 of the leaf. Oil-bodies (2--)3--5(--6) per cell, 4--5(--5.5) x 6--10 \um, granulate. Sexual condition dioicous (some innovations with 2 male generations divided by some pairs of sterile leaves---heteroicous plants). Perianth terminal on main axis, conical, with ca. 8 archegonia per gynoecium. Perigynium 1--1.3 of the perianth length; bracts just below perianth, in 1--2 pairs, ca. 1000 x 950 \um, wider in proximal 1/3, frequently with undulate margin. Androecia below perianth, commonly divided from the latter by 1--3 pairs of sterile leaves, spicate, in 2--3 pairs of bracts, ca. 630--805 x 810--1050 \um, suborbicular to orbicular triangle, wider in proximal 1/3 of the leaf, strongly inflated near the base, purple near the inflated area, bract margin incurved, with 2 antheridia per bract, body grayish to almost colorless, stalk 2-seriate, ca. 87--100 x 15--20 \um. Capsule 500--1000 μm, ellipsoidal, capsule wall 2-stratose, outer cell subquadrate to rectangular, 20--45 x 26--35 μm with 2--3 nodular thickenings in each vertical wall; inner cells irregularly linear, 30--90 x 8--20 μm with 6--18 annular thickenings. Seta 100-- 150 μm in diameter and 1500--9000 μm in length. Spores finely papillose, spheric, 18--24 μm. Elaters 120--150 x 9--12, 2-spiral, with narrowed homogenous ends.

On moist soil and rocks near stream, almost exclusively in mountains tundra or slightly descending to forest belt along streams; 0--600; Greenland; B.C., N.S., Que.; Alaska, Wash.; Eurasia.