Tortula modica

R. H. Zander

Bull. Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sci. 32: 226. 1993,.

Basionym: Gymnostomum intermedium Turner Muscol. Hibern. Spic., 7, plate 1, figs. a–c. 1801,
Synonyms: Pottia intermedia (Turner) Fürnrohr Pottia truncata var. major (F. Weber & D. Mohr) Bruch & Schimper
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 27. Treatment on page 598. Mentioned on page 588, 589.

Leaves obovate to spatulate, apex broadly acute or occasionally rounded, short-awned, margins weakly recurved proximally or occasionally plane, weakly bordered distally with 2–4 rows of slightly thicker-walled cells; costa excurrent, lacking an adaxial pad of cells, distally narrow, 2–3 cells across the convex adaxial surface; distal laminal cells irregularly hexagonal or sometimes rectangular, width 20–25 (–29) µm wide, 1 (–2):1, smooth or 1-papillose (best seen in section). Sexual condition autoicous. Sporophytes exerted. Seta 0.4–0.6 cm. Capsule stegocarpic, not systylius, short-cylindric, erect and nearly straight, urn 1–1.5 mm; peristome absent or rudimentary; operculum ca. 0.5 mm. Spores 30–35 µm, spheric, densely papillose.


Phenology: Capsules mature fall–spring.
Habitat: Calcareous soil, old fields, pastures, rocky areas
Elevation: low and moderate elevations

Distribution

V27 856-distribution-map.gif

Ont., N.Y., Pa., Europe, Asia, n Africa

Discussion

A report of Tortula modica from Mexico was excluded by R. H. Zander (1993). The distribution and characters of this uncommon species were discussed by H. A. Crum and L. E. Anderson (1981), P. M. Eckel (1987), and C. Williams (1966b). Essentially, Tortula modica is a high polyploid (n = 52) taxon distinguished from T. truncata by the larger habit, leaf margins usually recurved proximally, capsules slightly longer, short-cylindric, not tapering to the base, and peristome sometimes present though rudimentary.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"um" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Tortula modica"
smooth +  and papillose +
smooth +  and papillose +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
of 1-2 rows +  and differentiated +
long-excurrent +  and short-excurrent +
rounded +  and acute +
Richard H. Zander +  and Patricia M. Eckel +
R. H. Zander +
semicircular +  and elliptical +
semicircular +, elliptical +  and rounded +
papillose +  and smooth +
usually slightly wider +
usually ovate;oblong +
differentiated +
Gymnostomum intermedium +
obovoid +
cucullate +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (?) +
not systylius +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
dark-brown +  and yellowish-brown +
cleistocarpous +  and stegocarpous +
short-cylindric +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
monoicous +, dioicous +  and sexual +
thicker-walled +
1 +  and 3 +
elongate-rhomboid +  and elongate +
tomentose +  and bare +
subpercurrent +
1-papillose +  and smooth +
autoicous +  and sexual +
Ont. +, N.Y. +, Pa. +, Europe +, Asia +  and n Africa +
low and moderate elevations +
differentiated +
multicellular +
Calcareous soil, old fields, pastures, rocky areas +
somewhat larger +
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 +
spreading +  and appressed-incurved +
obovate +  and spatulate +
reduced +
serrulate +  and entire +
smaller +
rostrate;long-conic +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (?) +
differentiated +
photosynthetic +
simple +  and hollow +
4 +  and 6 +
lateral +  and terminal +
lateral +  and terminal +
red +, orange +  and yellow +
consisting of 16 mostly 2 times cleft spiculose striate or papillose lanceolate teeth , , , , +  and rudimentary +
Capsules mature fall–spring. +
Bull. Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sci. +
straight +
not twisted +  and twisted +
brown;yellowish-brown +
elongate +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
2 +  and 1 +
orange +, red +, yellow +, laminal +  and light-brown +
spheric +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
rounded-pentagonal +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
Pottia intermedia +  and Pottia truncata var. major +
Tortula modica +
species +
ovoid;cylindric +
rudimentary +
32 (?) +  and 16 (?) +
triangular +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
yellow distally and red +, orange +, red +  and yellow +
rectangular +
thickened +, thin +  and thicker +
stemless +  and perigoniate +
yellowbrown;dark-brown +
occasionally smaller than the perichaetiate +