Oligotrichum aligerum

Mitten

J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 8: 48, plate 8. 1864,.

Treatment appears in FNA Volume 27. Treatment on page 143. Mentioned on page 142.

Plants simple to sparingly branched by innovations, light olive green. Stems 2–3 cm, slender and wiry, erect. Leaves 3–5 mm, ovatelanceolate, with a subsheathing base, ± erect-appressed when dry, somewhat spreading when moist, channeled distally, with lamellae on both surfaces; costa percurrent, ending in a short apiculus; margins narrowly reflexed, denticulate to distinctly serrate in distal 3/4; abaxial lamellae well-developed, on the back of both costa and lamina, the lamina with 3–4 regularly spaced lamellae on either side of the costa, 1–3 cells high, serrate like the leaf margins; adaxial lamellae 5–7, undulate, 5–9 cells high, confined to the midrib, undulate, serrate like the leaf margins; cells of leaf base short-rectangular; median cells of lamina roundedquadrate, 12.5–20 µm wide, in ± regular longitudinal rows; perigonial leaves broadly-triangular-ovate, forming a large, conspicuous rosette; perichaetial leaves larger and broader than the vegetative leaves, erect when dry, subsquarrose when moist. Seta 3–4 cm, reddish yellow, wiry, often strongly twisted in distal half when dry. Capsule 4–5 mm, cylindric, rather pale, terete or with 4 or more longitudinal ridges; hypophysis with numerous superficial stomata; peristome teeth 32, pale, double. Spores 10.5–13 µm.


Habitat: Moist sandy or clay banks along roadsides, humus and upturned tree roots in rainforest
Elevation: low to moderate elevations (50-1000 m)

Distribution

V27 177-distribution-map.gif

B.C., Idaho, Mont., Oreg., Wash., Mexico, Central America (Costa Rica), West Indies (Dominican Republic), West Indies (Jamaica), Asia (Japan), Asia (China in Taiwan), Asia (Philippines)

Discussion

Reports from mainland China and the Himalayas (Bhutan) require confirmation.

A North Pacific radiant species, Oligotrichum aligerum occurs on both sides of the north Pacific, extending southward to Central America and to Taiwan and the Philippines. The development of abaxial lamellae on the leaves in this species is striking and apparent, often even at low magnification.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"broadened" is not a number."broadest" is not a number."larger and broader" is not a number.

... more about "Oligotrichum aligerum"
apiculate;obtuse;acute;cucullate;flat;apiculate;obtuse;acute;cucullate;flat;apiculate;obtuse;acute;cucullate;flat;apiculate;obtuse;acute;cucullate;flat +
prominent +
Gary L. Smith Merrill +
Mitten +
short-rectangular +
abrupt +, crisped +  and undulate +
firm-textured +
overlapping +
monoicous +, dioicous +, sexual +  and vegetative +
sinuate;fiberlike;elongate;less isodiametric;transversely elongate-hexagonal +
sparsely ciliate;smooth +
cucullate +
sometimes +  and rugose +
with 4 or morelongitudinal ridges +, terete +  and cylindric +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
toothed +
undifferentiated +
not differentiated +
B.C. +, Idaho +, Mont. +, Oreg. +, Wash. +, Mexico +, Central America (Costa Rica) +, West Indies (Dominican Republic) +, West Indies (Jamaica) +, Asia (Japan) +, Asia (China in Taiwan) +  and Asia (Philippines) +
low to moderate elevations (50-1000 m) +
pitted +  and not papillate +
scabrous +, mammillose +  and smooth +
Moist sandy or clay banks along roadsides, humus and upturned tree roots in rainforest +
delimited +  and indistinct +
not differentiated +
photosynthetic +
3 +  and 4 +
serrate +, crenulate +  and serrulate +
roundedquadrate +
12.5um +  and 20um +
channeled +  and ovatelanceolate +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
membranous +
entire;sharply serrate +
cuticular-papillose +  and smooth +
denticulate +  and distinctly serrate +
shape +  and size +
dioicous +  and sexual +
broadly-triangular-ovate +
pigmented +  and pale +
simple +  and compound +
subacute +  and obtuse +
J. Linn. Soc., Bot. +
underground +
twisted +  and wiry +
reddish yellow +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
differentiated +
larger +  and minute +
slender +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
Oligotrichum aligerum +
Oligotrichum +
species +
compound +  and simple +
unjointed +
simple +  and sparingly branched +
green +  and light olive +
small +  and medium-sized +