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BFNA Title: Alsia |
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XX. ALSIA
Sullivant, Proc. Am. Ac. Arts Sci. 3: 184. 1855 * [Anagram of the generic name Lasia, reflecting overall similarity
to Lasia now Forsstroemia] Clayton
C. Newberry Plants in thick loose mats. Secondary
stems erect-ascending, densely foliate.
Branching pinnate and
frondiform distally. Paraphyllia abundant. Leaves
lanceolate; costa variable. Sexual condition dioicous. Seta
usually shorter than the perichaetial leaves. Capsules
short, erect-symmetric or nearly so; stomata sunken and mostly basal; annulus
not differentiated; peristome double; endostome segments arising from a
narrow basal membrane; operculum oblique-rostrate. Calyptra
cucullate, naked. Species 1,
varieties none: maritime Pacific coast
of western Alsia is strikingly similar to Forsstroemia trichomitria, but the two
species are completely distinct geographically. Alsia
is endemic to the west coast of North America, while F. trichomitria is broadly distributed in eastern North America,
occurring no further west than SELECTED
REFERENCES Norris, D. H. and J. S.
Shevock. 2004. Contributions towards a bryoflora of
California II. A key to the
mosses. Madroño 51(2): 133--269. Manuel, M.
1974. A revised classification
of the Leucodontaceae and a revision of the subfamily Alsioideae. Bryologist 77: 531--550. Schofield, W. B.
1976. Bryophytes of 1. Alsia californica (Hooker & Arnott) Sullivant, Proc.
Am. Ac. Arts Sci. 3: 185. 1855 Neckera californica Hooker & Arnott, Bot. Capt.
Beechey’s Voyage, 162. 1833 Plants robust, green to yellow-green to
stramineous, tail-forming and spreading widely over the substrate. Main
stem inconspicuous, stoloniform, plagiotropic, tightly adnate against the
substrate. Secondary stems to 8 cm, irregularly subpinnate proximally, more
regularly pinnate and frondiform-complanate distally, often curling upward
when dry, uncurling erect-ascending when moist, internally divided into a
strong 4--6-layered cortex of incrassate, yellow to light brown cells and a
medulla of loose, thin-walled hyaline cells; central strand lacking. Paraphyllia
1-seriate-filiform to dissected-lanceolate and irregularly branching. Pseudoparaphyllia
investing the branch buds, dissected-lanceolate to subfoliose. Stem
leaves to 2 mm, loosely imbricate when dry, spreading when moist,
concave, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, the apex acute to acuminate, the
base obtuse; apical cells short, oval-rhombic, incrassate; median cells
oval-oblong, 2--3:1, incrassate; basal cells rounded to quadrate, incrassate,
filling the basal angles and extending halfway up the margin; margin slightly
recurved, mostly entire, at the apex plane and sometimes weakly serrulate, at
the base more strongly recurved; all marginal cells shorter than laminal;
costa variable even on the same plant, either weak and almost absent, or
short and double, or strong and disappearing halfway up the leaf. Lateral
branches of unequal length, 5--6(--15) mm, occasionally bearing
gametangia or small (less than 3 mm) branchlets, occasionally flagelliform
and tapering in moist maritime situations; branch paraphyllia similar to
those on main stem, less common. Branch
leaves smaller than main stem leaves, narrower, the costa weaker or
sometimes altogether lacking. Perigonia conspicuous, persistent,
barely 1 mm, borne ± subpinnate and complanate on the secondary stem,
occasionally on the side branches, the leaves smallish and apically
apiculate, mostly ecostate, the antheridia fusiform. Perichaetial
branches distinctive, borne ± irregularly subpinnate and complanate on
the main stem, up to 5 mm; the outer perichaetial leaves ovate to
ovate-lanceolate, ecostate, the inner elongate, sheathing, at the apex
narrowing abruptly and contracted into a filiform-acuminate point, laminal
cells elongate, basally rectangular at 1:5, towards mid-leaf to 1:16. Seta
brown to red-yellow, 3--5 mm, straight, mostly sheathed by and only
slightly emergent from the perichaetial leaves. Capsules
yellowish brown, 1.5--2 mm, barely exserted beyond the perichaetial
leaves, oblong-cylindric, the surface smooth; exostome teeth hyaline to
brownish yellow, broadly subulate, trabeculate, punctulate-scabrous;
endostome segments pale brownish yellow, narrowly subulate, occasionally
perforate up the middle, finely papillose; basal membrane low; cilia
lacking. Spores brownish, finely papillose, to 20 \um. Bark of trunks
and branches of Acer, Alnus,
Chrysolepis, Lithocarpus, Quercus, Picea, Populus, Sambucus, Sequoia,
Umbellularia; rock surfaces, usually siliceous, north of California
occasionally calcareous; 0--700 m (usually less than 100 m); B.C.; Calif.,
Oreg., Wash.; Mexico (Baja California). Alsia californica is an important component of the moss
flora of mostly maritime western |
