Scleropodium occidentale

Plants medium-sized to large, in moderately loose mats, green to golden green. Stems to 5 cm, leafy shoots 0.8–1.2 mm wide, branches julaceous. Stem-leaves closely imbricate, ovate to ovatelanceolate, 1–2 × 0.5–1.2 mm; margins often widely incurved distally, entire or with serrulations restricted to acumen; apex acute to rounded or cuspidate, occasionally acuminate; alar cells quadrate to short-rectangular, 9–12 × 10–13 µm, walls moderately thick, region small, indistinctly delimited; laminal cells 45–60 × 4–7 µm; basal juxtacostal cells elongate, 10–20 × 5–7 µm. Seta 0.9–1.6 cm, roughened throughout. Capsule inclined. Spores 15–19 µm.

Habitat: Sub aqua tic habitats
Elevation: low to high elevations (0-2000 m)

B.C., Calif., Nev., Oreg., Wash.

Discussion

Scleropodium occidentale is morphologically and ecologically similar to S. obtusifolium; however, it differs in having a longer, more robust costa that ends in a spine, and in DNA markers. It also often has acute leaf apices unlike the rounded apex typical of S. obtusifolium. The branches are tumid and often arching.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa