Porotrichum lindigii (Hampe) Mitt.

  • 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

    Neckeraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Porotrichum lindigii (Hampe) Mitt.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Plants small, 1-1.2 (-2.5) cm high, compactly frondose from a stipitate base, yellow-green, often with flagelliform branches. Stipe leaves imbricate, 1 x 0.5 mm, ovate-acute; costa single, extending to the midleaf or rarely short and double. Leaves of secondary stems spreading, 1.5-1.8 x 0.6-0.8 mm, strongly concave, broadly oblong-ovate, mucronate, rounded to the insertion; margins broadly inflexed above, serrulate; costa extending above the midleaf; apical cells short-rhomboidal, 14-25 x 6-8 µm; median cells oblong-rhomboidal, 18-40 x 4-5 µm; basal cells rectangular, 25-40 x 8-10 µm, yellow, thick-walled, weakly pitted; alar cells quadrate, few and indistinctly differentiated. Branch leaves 1-1.2 x 0.6 mm, concave, oval to oblong-ovate or obovate, rounded to the insertion; margins broadly inflexed and entire or serrate above; costa ending above the midleaf, frequently spurred below; cells thick-walled; apical cells short-rhomboidal, 12-20 x 5-7 µm; median cells oblong-rhomboidal, 20-45 x 5 µm; basal cells rectangular, 25-30 x 7-13 µm, pitted; alar cells quadrate (but not distinctly differentiated). Sporophytes unknown.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 569

    P. lindigii (Hampe) Mitt., J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 12: 461. 1869.

    Pilotrichum lindigii Hampe, Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. V, 5: 341. 1866.

    Pirea cavifolia Card. & Herz. ex Card., Rev. Bryol. 38: 39. 1911.

    Pireella cavifolia (Card. & Herz. ex Card.) Card., Rev. Bryol. 40: 17. 1913.

    Porotrichum cavifolium (Card. & Herz. ex Card.) Magill & Allen, Novon 2: 123. 1992, non Broth., 1917.

    On species has been included in Pireella, and in that context, features of taxonomic significance include the appressed stipe leaves and branch leaves costate to near the middle and sometimes serrate above. However, it differs from other members of that genus in its dendroid-frondose branching, obovate, concave leaves with few and poorly differentiated alar cells, and the occasional occurrence of flagelliform branches, characters suggestive of a better placement in the Neckeraceae (in a broad sense). The species can be excluded from the Pterobryaceae because of foliose, rather than filamentous pseudoparaphylha. The sporophyte remains unknown, but gametophytic characters suggest a relationship to Porotrichum and the Thamnobryaceae, which is a hypnoid segregate from the Neckeraceae.

  • Distribution

    On trunks of trees in moist forests; Chiapas, Hidalgo (Honey Station, Pringle, type) and Veracruz.—Mexico; Central America; northern South America; West Indies.

    Mexico North America| Central America| Venezuela South America| Colombia South America| Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Brazil South America| Ecuador South America| West Indies|