Prionodon densus (Sw. ex Hedw.) Müll.Hal.

Authority

Sharp, Aaron J., et al. 1994. The Moss Flora of Mexico. Part Two: Orthotrichales to Polytrichales. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 69 (2)

Family

Prionodontaceae

Scientific Name

Prionodon densus (Sw. ex Hedw.) Müll.Hal.

Description

Species Description - Secondary stems 5-15 cm long, simple to ± pinnate- or (more rarely) subflabellate-branched, dull or slightly glossy, green, yellowish-green or yellowish-brown. Leaves loosely imbricate when dry, rarely flexuose, contorted, or crisped, wide-spreading w h e n moist, the tips of older leaves usually missing, 4—7 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, phcate toward the base; upper cells either elliptic-oblong, porose, and 1 2 x 7 µm or quadrate to short-rectangular, non-porose, and 7-10 x 7 µm; cells toward the costa at base up to 60 µm long; alar cells quadrate, frequently with cruciform lumina, extending in a narrow or broad, V-shaped zone to the widest part of the lamina, or nearly so. Setae 1-1.5 mm long; capsules subglobose to ovoid, 1.8-2 mm long.

Discussion

Fig. 521

P. densus (Hedw.) C. Müll., Bot. Zeitung 2: 129. 1844.

Hypnum densum Hedw., Sp. Muse. 282. 1801.

Neckera crassa Hornsch. in Mart., Fl. Brasil. 1(2): 56. 1840.

Pilotrichum densum (Hedw.) C. Müll., Syn. Muse Frond. 2: 160 1850.

P. lycopodium C. Müll., Bot. Zeitung 15: 581. 1857.

Prionodon muelleri Hampe, Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. V, 4 356 I865, nom. illeg.

P. undulatus Mitt., J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 12: 420. 1869.

P. rubiginosus Hampe, Vidensk. Meddel. Dansk Naturhist Foren. Kjøbenhavn in, 2: 278.1870.

P. auriculatus Angstr., Ofvers. Forh. Kongl. Svenska Vetensk.-Akad. 33(4): 31. 1876.

P. lycopodium(C. Müll.) Jaeg., Ber. Thatigk. St. Gallischen Naturwiss. Ges. 1875-76:223. 1877.

P. ciliatus Besch., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. VI, 10: 261. 1880.

P. rehmannii Mitt., J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 22: 311. 1886.

P. caldensis Broth., Bih. Kongl. Svenska Vetensk.-Akad. Handl. 21, 3(3): 44. 1895.

P. haitensis Ren. & Card., Bull. Soc Roy. Bot. Belgique 33(2): 125. 1895.

P. geniculatus C. Müll., Flora 83: 338. 1897.

P. subgeniculatus C. Mull., Flora 83: 359. 1897.

P. simplex C. Müll., Flora 83: 359. 1897.

P. africanus Rehm. ex Par., Index Bryol. 1031. 1898, nom. nud.

P. haitensis C. Müll., Hedwigia 37: 239. 1898, non Ren. & Card., 1895.

P. piradae Par., Index Bryol. Suppl. 285. 1900.

P. kunertii C. Müll., Hedwigia 40: 55. 1901.

P. leucodontoidesC. Mull., Hedwigia 40: 56. 1901.

P. ulei C. Mull., Hedwigia 40: 55. 1901.

P. nitidulus Broth., Hedwigia 45: 276. 1906.

P. ciliolato-serratus Herz., Biblioth. Bot. 87: 110. 1916.

P. arsenei Ther., Smithsonian Misc. Collect. 78(2): 25. 1926.

P. mexicanus Ther., Smithsonian Misc. Collect. 78(2): 24. 1926.

P. densusvar. crispatulusBartr., Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 26:92.1928.

P. densus var. mexicanus (Ther.) Bartr., Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 26: 92. 1928.

P. lycopodium var. abbreviatum Ther., Rev. Bryol. Lichenol. 9: 27. 1936.

P. bandeirae Broth, ex Bartr., Arch. Jard. Bot. Rio de Janeiro 13: 240. 1954, nom. nud.

The species includes a multitude of forms. It is most often confused with P. luteovirens, particularly w h e n lacking sporophytes. Probably the best character for differentiation is provided by more numerous quadrate alar cells. Other helpful characteristics include a dull or slightly glossy appearance, moderate stiffness, irregularly pinnate branching, and leaves of secondary and tertiary branches not much differentiated. The leaf tips are usually broken off.

Distribution

On trunks of trees in montane forests at 800-3100 m alt.; Chiapas, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacan, Morelos, Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Veracruz.—Mexico to northern South America; Greater Antilles; eastern and southern Africa and the islands ofthe West Indian Ocean.

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