Gemmabryum caespiticium

(Hedwig) J. R. Spence

Phytologia 91: 497. 2009.

Basionym: Bryum caespiticium Hedwig Sp. Musc. Frond., 180. 1801
Synonyms: Ptychostomum imbricatulum (Müller Hal.) D. T. Holyoak & N. Pedersen
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 28. Treatment on page 131. Mentioned on page 132.

Plants large. Stems 0.1–2 (–3) cm. Leaves weakly to moderately concave, 0.5–2 (–3) mm; margins plane to strongly revolute, limbidium distinct to weak, of 1 or 2 rows of elongate incrassate cells; apex occasionally hyaline with age; costa short to long-excurrent, awn brown, yellowbrown, or sometimes hyaline, smooth or rarely somewhat denticulate, 1/4–3/4 leaf length; proximal laminal cells abruptly quadrate to rectangular, 1–2: 1 away from costa, 2–4: 1 along costa; medial and distal cells long-hexagonal, 12–18 (–20) µm wide, (3–) 4–6: 1. Specialized asexual reproduction rare, by deciduous brood branchlets in distal leaf-axils, and rhizoidal tubers, red, spheric, 100–200 µm, cells smooth. Capsule with endostome segments pale tan, brown, redbrown, or rarely pale-yellow. Spores 8–14 (–16) µm.


Phenology: Capsules mature Apr–Aug (spring–summer).
Habitat: Disturbed soil, earth banks, rotten wood, rock, disturbed habitats
Elevation: low to high elevations (0-4000 m)

Distribution

V28 205-distribution-map.gif

Greenland, Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., N.S., Nunavut, Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon, Alaska, Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., D.C., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Wyo., Mexico (Baja California), Mexico (Hidalgo), s South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Atlantic Islands, Pacific Islands, Australia

Discussion

The combination of small caespitose plants with ovate-lanceolate concave leaves, strong awns, and inflated subalar cells on fertile stems is diagnostic of Gemmabryum caespiticium. The last character is also a diagnostic character of sect. Cladodium of Ptychostomum and known from a few other species in other genera (for example, Bryum dyffryense Holyoak).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"narrower" is not a number."narrow" is not a number.

... more about "Gemmabryum caespiticium"
broadly rounded;acuminate +
John R. Spence +
(Hedwig) J. R. Spence +
hyaline +, yellowbrown +  and brown +
1/4 +  and 3/4 +
denticulate +
reduced +
curved +  and straight +
not decurrent +
Bryum caespiticium +
deciduous +
cucullate +
not zygomorphic +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
pale-yellow +, redbrown +  and brown +
long-exserted +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
elongate +
incrassate +
appendiculate +
long-excurrent +
subpercurrent +
inflated +
hexagonal;rhomboidal +
Greenland +, Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. +, N.W.T. +, N.S. +, Nunavut +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Yukon +, Alaska +, Ariz. +, Ark. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Conn. +, Del. +, D.C. +, Idaho +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Kans. +, Ky. +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Mo. +, Mont. +, Nebr. +, Nev. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Mex. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, N.Dak. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.Dak. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Utah +, Vt. +, Va. +, Wash. +, W.Va. +, Wis. +, Wyo. +, Mexico (Baja California) +, Mexico (Hidalgo) +, s South America +, Europe +, Asia +, Africa +, Atlantic Islands +, Pacific Islands +  and Australia +
low to high elevations (0-4000 m) +
hyaline;pale-yellow +
not adherent +
yellow +  and brown +
Disturbed soil, earth banks, rotten wood, rock, disturbed habitats +
not inflated +  and tapered +
not +  and differentiated +
polyoicous +, monoicous +, dioicous +  and sexual +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
concave +
vegetative +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
multistratose +, 2-stratose +  and 1-stratose +
entire +  and serrulate +
plane +  and strongly revolute +
1 (?) +, 4 (?) +  and 8 (?) +
rhomboidal +  and elongate-hexagonal +
short-rectangular +  and quadrate +
rostrate +, apiculate +, short-conic +  and long-convex +
lateral +  and terminal +
lateral +  and terminal +
diplolepidous-alternate +
Capsules mature Apr–Aug (spring–summer). +
abruptly quadrate +  and rectangular +
differentiated +
redbrown +  and red +
smooth;papillose +
synoicous +, dioicous +  and sexual +
synoicous +, dioicous +  and sexual +
flexuose +  and straight +
not geniculate +
light-brown +
germinating +
differentiated +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
gemmiform +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
Ptychostomum imbricatulum +
Gemmabryum caespiticium +
Gemmabryum sect. Caespitibryum +
species +
acuminate;lanceolate +
distinct +
several +  and common +
straight +
specialized +
sinuate +
incrassate +
pale green +  and red-green +