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BFNA Title: Schlotheimia |
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7. SchlotheimIA
Bridel, Musc. Recent. Suppl. 2: 16.
1812 * [For Ernst Friedrich von Schlotheim (1764--1832), a
paleontologist held in high regard by Bridel] Dale H. Vitt Plants medium-sized, in dense, tomentose,
usually reddish-brown mats on trees. Stems creeping, with numerous,
ascending, stout, usually forked branches up to 2 cm high. Branch
leaves appressed to loosely-appressed, erect, often spirally-twisted
around stem when dry, narrowly lanceolate to oblong-ligulate, usually acute,
apiculate or long-cuspidate, sometimes rugose; margins entire; costa strong,
excurrent or ending at apex; distal laminal cells small, rarely greater than
10 µm, rounded, thick-walled, usually smooth; basal laminal cells elongate,
porose. Sexual condition pseudautoicous, dwarf male plants on leaves of
female plant. Seta smooth. Capsule fully exserted, rarely
immersed; elliptic to cylindric, erect, usually smooth or lightly plicate;
stomates superficial; peristome double; endostome segments 16, shorter than
exostome, pale sometimes rudimentary; exostome teeth 16, well-developed, linear-lanceolate,
often blunt, erect or recurved, thick densely papillose-striate. Calyptra
mitrate, long-conic to campanulate, 4--6 lobed at base, naked or hairy,
usually covering entire capsule. Spores anisosmorphic. Species
100--150 (2 in the flora); pantropical; Mexico, Central America, South
America, Africa, Australia, Pacific Islands (New Zealand). The
distinctive dark-reddish coloration, habit in tree canopies and on tree
trunks, and 4--6 lobed, campanulate calyptra are diagnostic features of this
genus. 1.
Leaves gradually acute or acuminate, not rugose; calyptrae smooth.............. . . . . Schlotheimia lancifolia 1.
Leaves abruptly apiculate, rugose; calyptra papillose near apex . . .
. Schlotheimia rugifolia 1. Schlotheimia lancifolia E. B. Bartram,
Bryologist 35: 9. 1932 Plants in shiny, bright-green,
reddish-brown, or dark-brown mats. Stems up to 16 mm. Stem
leaves oblong lanceolate to narrowly-lanceolate, 1.5--2.3 mm, gradually
narrowed to narrowly acute or acuminate, sometimes serrulate apex, not rugose
or undulate; costa percurrent; distal laminal cells 6--8 µm wide, irregularly
quadrate to rounded-elliptic. Seta 3--5 mm. Capsule
1.4--2 mm. Logs,
trunks of trees to 8 m; extremely rare and probably restricted to undisturbed
hemlock-hardwood zone; moderate elevations; endemic to southern Blue Ridge
Escarpment; N.C. This
species differs from S. rugifolia in having non-rugose,
gradually acute leaves. 2. Schlotheimia rugifolia (Hooker)
Schwaegrichen, Spec. Musc. Suppl. 2(1): 150.
139. 1824 Orthotrichum rugifolium Hooker, Musci Exot. 2: 19. 128.
1819 Plants in reddish-brown to dark-brown
mats. Stems 2--8 mm. Stem leaves oblong to
oblong-ligulate, 1.4--1.6 mm, mucronate to apiculate, rugose; costa shortly
excurrent into mucro; distal laminal cells 5--9 µm wide,
rounded-quadrate. Seta 2.5--4 mm. Capsule
1.7--2.2 mm. Logs,
trunks of trees frequently above 3 m, often on branches in tree canopies; low
elevations; Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tenn., Texas, Va.;
Mexico; West Indies; Central America; South America. Schlotheimia rugifolia is distinguished by rugose,
abruptly apiculate leaves.
Characteristically the plants have a dark reddish-brown color, which
is best developed under xeric conditions. |
