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Western Torncap Moss - Bucklandiella occidentalis
Other Names:
A Torncap Moss,
Racomitrium occidentale
General Description
Plants: Growing in open, upright clumps or turfs, olivaceous above, brown below. Stems upright, spreading to ca 45 degrees, or creeping, 2-4 cm, sometimes reaching 8 cm, few-branched; central strand not present (FNA 2007).
Leaves: Upright and flat against the stem when dry, spreading to ca 45 degrees when wet, 2.2-3.8 mm in length, 0.5-0.8 mm in width, a little bowed to straight; margins undulate, curved back and downward up to 3/4 the leaf length on both sides; costa reaching the apex, the dorsal surface strongly rounded and with a dorsal, slightly off-center, longitudinal channel interrupting the convexity; hair-pointed, the awns 0.3-0.8 mm in length, finely and sharply toothed, not decurrent, round in X-section (FNA 2007).
Leaf Cells: Costa in X-section with the boundary outline noticeably asymmetric, from 3-5 cell-layers thick proximally, transitioning to 2-3 layers above, with 2-5 dorsal cells proximally, transitioning to 2-3 above; margins of 2 cell layers above in 1 or 2 (occasionally more) rows, sometimes with patches having 3-4 cell layers; laminal cells 1-layered with lengths of 2-layers here and there, smooth; middle and upper cells square to oblong, frequently becoming wider than long at the leaf edges; basal laminal cells long and narrow, wavy, minutely knobbed, and with spiraled thickenings near the attachment; alar cells only a little modified (FNA 2007).
Diagnostic Characteristics
The asymmetric costa with its winged appearance in X-section is unique in the genus (FNA 2007).
Range Comments
Endemic to North America. BC s to CA (FNA 2007). Known in Montana from Flathead County (Elliott 2016).
Habitat
Dry to somewhat wet stones and bluffs; acidophile. Elevation: 0-5250 feet (FNA 2007).
Reproductive Characteristics
Seta 1-3 in a perichaetium, twisted clockwise above, 4-7 mm in length, somewhat ochre. Capsule 1-3 mm in length, a little creased when dry, shiny to dull brown; beak of operculum sometimes tilted; peristome dentitions papillose, lance-shaped, perforated or occasionally ruptured above into 2 lobes, brown (FNA 2007).
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend: View Online Publication
- Elliott, J.C. and A.K. Pipp. 2018. A Checklist of Montana Mosses (1880-2018). Updated 3 January, 2020. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, Montana. 73 pp.
- Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 2007. Flora of North America North of Mexico. Volume 27. Bryophytes: Mosses, Part 1. Oxford University Press, Inc., NY. xxi + 713 pp.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Elliot, J. C. 1993. Second checklist of Montana mosses. Unpublished report. U.S. Forest Service, Region 1. Missoula, MT. 45 pp.
- Lawton, E. 1971. Keys for the Identification of the Mosses on the Pacific Northwest. Reprinted from 'Moss Flora of the Pacific Northwest'. Published as Supplement No. 2 of the Journal of the Hattori Botanical Laboratory. Nichinan, Miyazaki, Japan. 66 pp.
- Lawton, E. 1971. Moss Flora of the Pacific Northwest. Hattori Botanical Laboratory. Japan: Yamabuki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. 362 pages plus appendices.
- Malcolm, B., N. Malcolm, J. Shevock, and D. Norris. 2009. California Mosses. Nelson, New Zealand: Micro-Optics Press. 430 pp.
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