Brachymenium macrocarpum

Cardot

Rev. Bryol. 38: 6. 1911.

Illustrated
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 28. Treatment on page 123. Mentioned on page 122, 124.

Plants in dense cushions, dark green to olive green, not shiny. Stems 1–2 cm, strongly rosulate. Leaves strongly spirally twisted around stem when dry, somewhat concave, 0.6–1.5 mm; margins weakly revolute proximally, plane distally, distinctly serrate, limbidium present; apex broadly rounded-acute; costa short-excurrent, awn yellowish hyaline; proximal laminal cells quadrate; medial and distal cells hexagonal to short-rectangular, 20–50 × 15–20 µm, 2–3: 1. Specialized asexual reproduction by rhizoidal tubers on rhizoids at base of stem, red to orange-red, spheric, 100–300 µm. Seta light-brown to redbrown, 1–2 cm.


Phenology: Capsules mature Apr–Aug (spring–summer).
Habitat: Tree trunks, wood, rock, mineral soil
Elevation: low to moderate elevations (0-1000 m)

Distribution

V28 189-distribution-map.gif

Ariz., Fla., La., N.Mex., N.C., Tex., Mexico

Discussion

Brachymenium macrocarpum is a distinctive species that forms dense turfs or cushions on trees and rocks. The very similar B. klotzschii (Schwägrichen) Paris is found in Central and South America. Many workers combine the two, but there are differences in capsule morphology, leaf shape, laminal areolation, and asexual reproduction, so the name B. macrocarpum is here retained, based on the Mexican type. In Mexico, the species is known to produce leaf axil bulbils, but these have not been seen in material from the flora area. Rosulabryum andicola is similar and its range overlaps with B. macrocarpum, but it has strongly serrate distal margins with very strong limbidium, filiform leaf axil gemmae, and nodding capsules with a well-developed peristome. In B. macrocarpum, the leaves form rosettes when moist.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

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

... more about "Brachymenium macrocarpum"
rounded-acute +
John R. Spence +
Cardot +
yellowish hyaline +
denticulate +
reduced +
red;orange-red +
curved +  and straight +
spheric +
cucullate +
erect +  and suberect +
long-exserted +
elongate-ovate +  and subcylindric +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
quadrate +  and long-rectangular +
appendiculate +
rudimentary +
short-excurrent +
subpercurrent +
hexagonal;rhomboidal +
Ariz. +, Fla. +, La. +, N.Mex. +, N.C. +, Tex. +  and Mexico +
low to moderate elevations (0-1000 m) +
hyaline;pale-yellow +
pale-brown +  and redbrown +
Tree trunks, wood, rock, mineral soil +
polyoicous +, monoicous +, dioicous +  and sexual +
erect;erect-spreading +
spathulate +, obovate +, ovatelanceolate +, ovate +  and lanceolate +
vegetative +
1 (?) +, 2 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
hexagonal +  and short-rectangular +
short-rectangular +  and quadrate +
long-conic +
lateral +  and terminal +
lateral +  and terminal +
diplolepidous-alternate +
Capsules mature Apr–Aug (spring–summer). +
Rev. Bryol. +
differentiated +
smooth;papillose +
not perforate +
light-brown +  and redbrown +
straight +
elongate +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
Illustrated +
pale tan +  and brown +
germinating +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
erect-spreading +
concave +
smaller +
0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
Brachymenium macrocarpum +
Brachymenium +
species +
linear-lanceolate +
distinct +
thickness +
straight +
specialized +
dioicous +  and sexual +
sinuate +
thin to somewhat +
dark green +  and olive green +