Pohlia melanodon

(Bridel) A. J. Shaw

Bryologist 84: 506. 1982.

Illustrated
Basionym: Bryum melanodon Bridel Bryol. Univ. 1: 845. 1827
Synonyms: B. carneum Withering B. delicatulum Hedwig
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 28. Treatment on page 210. Mentioned on page 194, 196, 211.

Plants small, dark green, not glossy. Stems 0.3–1 cm. Leaves erect-spreading to spreading, lanceolate to ovatelanceolate, 0.7–1.3 mm; base not or scarcely decurrent; margins weakly serrulate in distal 1/3; apex acute or short-acuminate; costa ending well before apex; distal medial laminal cells laxly and broadly rhomboidal, 60–100 µm, walls thin. Specialized asexual reproduction absent. Sexual condition dioicous; perigonial leaves ovate; perichaetial leaves scarcely differentiated, lanceolate. Seta orangebrown. Capsule inclined ± 180°, brown to redbrown, sometimes stramineous, short-pyriform to urceolate, neck less than 1/3 urn length; exothecial cells isodiametric, walls sinuate; stomata immersed; annulus absent; operculum short to long-conic; exostome teeth dark-brown to redbrown, triangular-acute; endostome yellow to yellowbrown, basal membrane 1/2 exostome length or slightly longer, segments tapered apically, distinctly keeled, broadly perforate, cilia long, nodulose. Spores 13–18 µm, finely roughened.


Phenology: Capsules mature spring (Apr–Jun).
Habitat: Disturbed clay or rarely sandy soil, path banks, along streams
Elevation: low elevations

Distribution

V28 338-distribution-map.gif

Ont., Ark., Ill., Ind., Maine, Md., Mich., N.Y., N.C., Vt., Va., W.Va., Europe

Discussion

Pohlia melanodon has soft, dark green, rather broad ovate-lanceolate leaves with lax, thin-walled cells. The species does not produce elongate sterile cushions as does P. wahlenbergii; even when sterile, the plants have short stems and are rather densely leafy. Pohlia melanodon is more common in eastern North America than collections indicate; it is often sterile and for that reason rarely collected. The exothecial cell walls of capsules of this species are somewhat collenchymatous.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"narrow" is not a number.

... more about "Pohlia melanodon"
erect;widespreading +
short-acuminate +  and acute +
A. Jonathan Shaw +
(Bridel) A. J. Shaw +
reduced +
brown;reddish +
decurrent +
Bryum melanodon +
cucullate +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
stramineous;brown;redbrown +
long-exserted +
short-pyriform;urceolate +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
nodulose +
short-excurrent +  and percurrent +
subpercurrent +
linear-rhomboidal +, rhombic +  and elongate-hexagonal +
Ont. +, Ark. +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Maine +, Md. +, Mich. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Vt. +, Va. +, W.Va. +  and Europe +
low elevations +
yellow;yellowbrown +
dark reddish-brown +, pale-yellow +  and brown +
dark-brown;redbrown +
triangular-acute +
Disturbed clay or rarely sandy soil, path banks, along streams +
erect-spreading;spreading +
lanceolate +  and ovatelanceolate +
vegetative +
0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br /> (0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br />) +
not differentiated +
slightly narrower and longer +
undifferentiated +
autoicous +, paroicous +, dioicous +  and sexual +
short-rectangular +  and quadrate +
1+ times urn length +
0 +  and 1/3 +
differentiated +
long-conic +
lateral +  and terminal +
lateral +  and terminal +
diplolepidous-alternate +
Capsules mature spring (Apr–Jun). +
smooth;papillose +
spheric;ovoid +
keeled +  and tapered +
orangebrown +
straight +
Illustrated +
darker +, hyaline +, tan +  and pale-yellow +
not complanate-foliate +
short to long +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
superficial +
B. carneum +  and B. delicatulum +
Pohlia melanodon +
species +
not +  and trabeculate +
papillose +  and pitted +
triangular;lanceolate +
reduced +
multicellular +
spheric;ovoid +
extensive +
collenchymatous +
straight +
specialized +
dioicous +, sexual +  and asexual +
sinuate +