Antitrichia
Muscol. Recent., suppl. 4: 136. 1818.
Taxon | Illustrator ⠉ | |
---|---|---|
Antitrichia californica | Patricia M. Eckel | |
Antitrichia curtipendula | Patricia M. Eckel |
Plants large, in thick mats or deep wefts, yellow-green to dark green, glossy. Stems irregularly branched. Stem-leaves ovatelanceolate to cordate-ovate; base rounded to subcordate, slightly decurrent; margins revolute, serrate, serrulate, or denticulate; apex acute, acuminate, or abruptly acuminate; costa subpercurrent, with 2 or more shorter, supplementary costae at base; alar cells quadrate to transversely elongate, region extending nearly to costa and an equal distance distally; laminal cells smooth; medial cells uniformly linear-flexuose; apical cells oval-rhombic. Branch leaves similar, narrower, smaller, 2–3 × 1 mm; margins more strongly denticulate; apex narrower, flagelliform, smaller; costa weaker. Specialized asexual reproduction absent. Perigonia on secondary stems or sometimes on side branches, leaves deltoid-apiculate. Perichaetia on primary-stems, leaves ecostate. Seta short. Capsule exserted, cylindric, oblong-cylindric, or oblong-ovoid; annulus scant or absent, adherent; operculum oblique-rostrate; exostome teeth subulate, trabeculate or papillose; endostome basal membrane absent, segments weakly developed, narrowly subulate, papillose.
Distribution
North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Atlantic Islands
Discussion
Species 5 (2 in the flora).
The stems of Antitrichia are densely foliose and internally divided into a strong 4–6-layered cortex of incrassate cells and a medulla of loose, thin-walled cells. The branches are procumbent or pendent, somewhat plumose, and usually elongate, with deltate to subfoliose pseudoparaphyllia investing the branch buds; the central strand is rudimentary or absent. The stem leaves are concave and 2–3 × 1–1.5 mm; the basal laminal cells are rounded-quadrate to elliptic, in a region filling the basalmost angles and extending up most of the margins. The endostome segments are fragile, evanescent, and 1/2–3/4 the exostome teeth length.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
Key
1 | Leaves julaceous when dry; supplementary costae absent or rudimentary, length less than 6 cells; laminal cell walls not or poorly pitted. | Antitrichia californica |
1 | Leaves erectopatent when dry; supplementary costae well developed, length more than 6 cells; laminal cell walls pitted throughout. | Antitrichia curtipendula |