Tortella inclinata var. densa

(Lorentz & Molendo) Limpricht

Laubm. Deutschl. 1: 604. 1888,.

Basionym: Barbula inclinata var. densa Lorentz & Molendo in P. G. Lorentz, Moosstudien, 90. 1864
Synonyms: Tortella densa
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 27. Treatment on page 509.

Stems dull and often strongly orange-green, orange, or dull green distally and brownish black proximally, orange in KOH, to 2 cm, many-branched, tomentum hidden in leaf-axils. Leaves when dry somewhat uniformly twisted on the stem (funaliform), erect proximally; leaf apices cucullate, acute, to narrowly acuminate, mucro of 5–7 cells; in cross-section with thick abaxial and adaxial superficial walls, but thin crosswalls; papillae appearing pedestaled on thick walls, leaf cells 7–10 µm.


Habitat: Sandy soil of rocky uplands or hills, rock slides, soil at the base of sandstone outcrops, cliff crevices, ledges and bases in mesic to moist stations, associated with old post-glacial alluvium in drainage basins of lakes and rivers
Elevation: moderate elevations (900-1600 m)

Distribution

V27 732-distribution-map.gif

B.C., N.W.T., Alaska, Mich., Vt., Wis., Europe

Discussion

Variety densa is apparently associated with older, stable habitats, rather than colonizing relatively more recent ones, as does var. inclinata. The stems are reddish orange, the leaves are densely foliose, and in cross section they have thickened superficial cell walls on both sides of the leaf section, forming pedestals on which the papillae are developed. Most of the leaves are acuminate, rather than cucullate, perhaps because the stems are richly perichaetiate. As the two reports of Tortella inclinata from arctic North America are var. densa, var. inclinata is considered here to be absent from that region. The most striking characteristic of western North American specimens from rocky substrates is their tall, densely foliose, numerously branched stems in regimented tufts, unlike var. inclinata, with stems usually smaller and indistinct, little branched, and leaves more chaotically twisted around the stem and half buried in the debris. The western specimens have darker (fuscous to black proximally) or more highly colored (orange) aspect, stiffer leaves, many or most narrowly acute yet still inrolled such that a subcucullate aspect to the leaf apex could be identified, a relatively orderly ropelike disposition of the leaves on dry stems, and peculiar distinctly thickened superficial cell walls.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
elongate +  and quadrate +
of 1-2 rows +  and differentiated +
long-excurrent +  and short-excurrent +
concave-acuminate +, narrowed +, obtuse +  and acute +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.55 cm5.5 mm <br />0.0055 m <br />) +
Patricia M. Eckel +
(Lorentz & Molendo) Limpricht +
reniform +  and rounded +
papillose +  and smooth +
usually slightly wider +
inflated +
not differentiated +
broad +  and broader +
Barbula inclinata var. densa +
obovoid +
cucullate +
yellow +  and reddish-brown darker red or brown +
cleistocarpous +  and stegocarpous +
inclined +  and erect +
elliptic;cylindric +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
monoicous +, dioicous +  and sexual +
flat to bulging +
not vesiculose +
green +  and clear +
5 +  and 7 +
annular +
tomentose +  and bare +
short-excurrent +
dioicous +, sexual +  and asexual +
B.C. +, N.W.T. +, Alaska +, Mich. +, Vt. +, Wis. +  and Europe +
moderate elevations (900-1600 m) +
differentiated +
multicellular +
Sandy soil of rocky uplands or hills, rock slides, soil at the base of sandstone outcrops, cliff crevices, ledges and bases in mesic to moist stations, associated with old post-glacial alluvium in drainage basins of lakes and rivers +
yellow +  and orange-red or red +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br />) +
concave;keeled;channeled;ovoid;lanceolate or lingulate +
elongated +  and short +
distinct +
long-setaceous +
larger +
differentiated +
incurved +  and erect +
not undulate +  and plane +
undifferentiated +
crenulate-papillose +
long-rostrate;conic +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
photosynthetic +
compound +, simple +, hollow +  and solid +
c--shaped +
lateral +  and terminal +
as stalked buds +  and short-foliose +
lateral +  and terminal +
branched-spiculose +  and twisted +
red +, orange +  and yellow +
consisting of 16 mostly 2 times cleft spiculose striate or papillose lanceolate teeth , , , , +  and rudimentary +
perichaetiate +
transparent +  and pale-yellow +
Laubm. Deutschl. +
filiform +
thick-walled +  and thin-walled +
brown +  and hyaline +
long-rectangular +
straight +
reddish;yellow +
elongate +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (2.7 cm27 mm <br />0.027 m <br />) +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
2 +  and 1 +
not undulate +, channeled +, keeled-concave +  and tapered +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
yellowish-brown +
erect-spreading;spreading +
crispate +, oblong-lanceolate +  and lanceolate +
many-branched +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
orange +, green distally and brownish black +, dull +  and orange-green +
radiculose-tomentose +
rounded-triangular +  and rounded-pentagonal +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
Tortella densa +
Tortella inclinata var. densa +
Tortella inclinata +
variety +
ovoid;cylindric +
orange +  and yellow +
stemless +  and perigoniate +
brown;yellow-green;yellowish-brown distally +
small +  and medium-sized +