Entodontopsis leucostega (Brid.) W.R.Buck & Ireland

Authority

Buck, William R. 1998. Pleurocarpous mosses of the West Indies. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 82: 1-400.

Family

Stereophyllaceae

Scientific Name

Entodontopsis leucostega (Brid.) W.R.Buck & Ireland

Description

Species Description - Plants medium-sized, in lustrous, light- to dark-green, brownish green with age, thin to dense, ± flat mats. Stems creeping, to 3 cm long, simple or sparingly and irregularly branched, complanate -foliate to subjulaceous; in cross-section with 1-2 rows of small firm- to thick-walled cells surrounding large thin-walled cells, central strand absent; pseudoparaphyllia filamentous; axillary hairs with a single short brown basal cell and 3 elongate hyaline distal cells. Stem and branch leaves similar, crowded to distant, ± stiff to soft, usually imbricate and somewhat contorted when dry, erect-spreading when moist, ovate-lanceolate to oblong-ovate, 1-2 mm long, acuminate or rarely acute, ± symmetric, flat or shallowly concave; margins serrulate above, entire below, plane or incurved below midleaf; costa single, ending 1/2-3/4 the leaf length, not projecting at apex; cells broadly fusiform with tapering ends, ca. 7-15:1, 47-165 X 7-9 µm, smooth or minutely prorulose at upper ends on dorsal surface, thin-walled, not porose; alar cells quadrate to rectangular, sometimes oblate, 14-33 X 11-24 µm, collenchymatous, with many on one side of costa and few on other, extending across adaxial surface of the costa, extending up the margins by 15-20 cells. Asexual propagula none. Autoicous, often fertile. Perichaetia at bases of stems; leaves oblong-ovate, ca. 0.85 mm long, acuminate; margins subentire to crenulate, plane; costa short and single to absent; cells linear, smooth, thin- to firm-walled, becoming subquadrate to short-rectangular all across the insertion but not segregated into distinct alar groups. Setae elongate, smooth, yellowish to reddish brown, 0.5-0.8 cm long, straight or flexuose; capsules inclined or cernuous, slightly arcuate, orange to reddish brown, ellipsoidal or ovoid, 0.8-1.5 mm long, not plicate, contracted below the mouth when dry; exothecial cells subquadrate to short-rectangular, thin-walled, becoming smaller and firm-walled toward the mouth; annulus of 1-2 rows of small thick-walled cells, often falling with the operculum; operculum obliquely conic- to short-rostrate, 0.2-0.5 mm long; exostome teeth narrowly triangular, shouldered, bordered, on the front surface cross-striolate in lower 1/3, ± smooth at midtooth, coarsely papillose above, somewhat trabeculate at back; endostome with a medium-high, ± smooth basal membrane, segments papillose, keeled, perforate, ca. as long as the teeth, cilia in groups of 1-2, shorter than the segments. Spores spherical to ovoid, papillose, 15-27 µm diam. Calyptrae cucullate, naked, smooth.

Discussion

1. Entodontopsis leucostega (Brid.) W. R. Buck & Ireland, Nova Hedwigia 41: 103. 1985; Leskea leucostega Brid., Bryol. Univ. 2: 333. 1827; Hypnum leucostegum (Brid.) Müll. Hal., Syn. Musc. Frond. 2: 344. 1851; Stereophyllum leucostegum (Brid.) Mitt., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 12: 543. 1869. Plate 110, figures 1-7 Discussion. Entodontopsis leucostega is a widespread and weedy species characterized by ovate-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, short-acuminate leaves with a weak single costa. The upper laminal cells are elongate and smooth (or rarely minutely prorulose) and the alar cells are numerous, large, and clear. The species is unlike anything else we have in the flora, but it is not too dissimilar from a group of three Central American species of Entodontopsis that have erect capsules. The recent monograph (Ireland & Buck, 1994) should be consulted if erect-capsuled plants of Entodontopsis are encountered.

Distribution

Range. Southernmost Florida, Mexico, Central America, northern and central South America south to Paraguay and northern Argentina, Africa, India; Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas, Tortola), St. Martin, Guadeloupe; growing on tree trunks and branches, decayed stumps and logs, exposed tree roots, or sometimes limestone, usually in mesic habitats, from sea level to 300 m, rarely to 2000 m.

United States of America North America| Mexico North America| Central America| South America| Africa| India Asia| Cuba South America| Jamaica South America| Haiti South America| Dominican Republic South America| Puerto Rico South America| Virgin Islands South America| Saint Martin South America| Guadeloupe South America|