Distichium capillaceum

(Hedwig) Bruch & Schimper

Bryol. Europ. 2: 156. 1846,.

Basionym: Cynontodium capillaceum Hedwig Sp. Musc. Frond., 57. 1801
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 27. Treatment on page 449. Mentioned on page 448.

Stems to ca. 6 cm, occasionally longer. Sexual condition paroicous. Seta to 2 cm, straight to somewhat flexuose, smooth, red or reddish-brown, occasionally yellowish-brown. Capsule brown, 1–2 mm, erect, cylindric to ovoid-cylindric, straight to weakly arcuate, becoming ± wrinkled when dry; operculum to 0.5 mm; peristome teeth evenly spaced, lanceolate, divided nearly to the base into 2 (–3) filaments, smooth to papillose or sometimes ± striolate. Spores densely and finely papillose, 15-25 µm.


Phenology: Capsules mature summer–fall.
Habitat: Soil, rock, crevices, ledges, banks, occasionally bark

Distribution

Greenland, Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., N.S., Nunavut, Ont., Que., Sask., Yukon, Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Ind., Iowa, Maine, Mich., Mont., Nev., N.H., N.Mex., N.Y., N.Dak., Oreg., S.Dak., Utah, Vt., Wash., Wis., Wyo., Mexico, Central America, South America, Eurasia, n, c, e, se Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands, Australia, Arctic, Antarctic

Discussion

Plants of Distichium capillaceum form dense, rather silky tufts and the slender, spreading, distichous leaves with shiny, whitish, oblong, sheathing bases are characteristic. This is a taller species than D. inclinatum, with plants less crowded, capsules erect-symmetrical and cylindric, and spores smaller. In more northerly or alpine regions with more severe climatic conditions, the plants are often shorter, more compact, and have shorter leaves.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Distichium capillaceum"
forming a marginal border +  and not differentiated +
Rodney D. Seppelt +
(Hedwig) Bruch & Schimper +
oblong +, ovatelanceolate +  and whitish +
Cynontodium capillaceum +
cucullate +
asymmetric +  and symmetric +
straight +  and weakly arcuate +
cleistocarpous +
cylindric +  and ovoid-cylindric +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
subpercurrent +
1/4 width of leaf;1/3 width of leaf +
shortrectangular +  and isodiametric +
Greenland +, Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. +, N.W.T. +, N.S. +, Nunavut +, Ont. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Yukon +, Alaska +, Ariz. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Idaho +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Maine +, Mich. +, Mont. +, Nev. +, N.H. +, N.Mex. +, N.Y. +, N.Dak. +, Oreg. +, S.Dak. +, Utah +, Vt. +, Wash. +, Wis. +, Wyo. +, Mexico +, Central America +, South America +, Eurasia +, n +, c +, e +, se Asia +, Africa +, Pacific Islands +, Australia +, Arctic +  and Antarctic +
Soil, rock, crevices, ledges, banks, occasionally bark +
linear-flexuose +
synoicous +, paroicous +, autoicous +, sexual +  and asexual +
quadrate +  and rectangular +
curved +  and straight +
subulate +, acuminate +  and lanceolate +
denticulate;plane +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br />) +
striolate;smooth;papillose +
divided +  and lanceolate +
Capsules mature summer–fall. +
filamentous +
Bryol. Europ. +
yellowish-brown;reddish-brown;red +
flexuose +  and straight to somewhat +
elongate +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
globose;ovoid +
branched +  and simple +
paroicous +  and sexual +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
Distichium capillaceum +
Distichium +
species +
specialized +
synoicous +, paroicous +, autoicous +, dioicous +  and sexual +
yellowish green +  and dark green +