Polytrichastrum formosum var. densifolium

(Mitten) Z. Iwatsuki & A. Noguchi

J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 37: 389. 1973,.

Basionym: Polytrichum densifolium J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot., suppl. 2: 155. 1859
Synonyms: Polytrichum formosum var. densifolium (Mitten) Osada & K. Yano
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 27. Treatment on page 131. Mentioned on page 130.

Plants medium, rather slender. Stems 3–6 (–10) cm. Leaves 6–8 (–10) mm, spreading when moist; marginal lamina 3–5 (–10) cells wide, plane to erect or somewhat inflexed; lamellae (3–) 4–6 cells high, entire or distantly and finely serrulate, the marginal cells narrowly elliptic, not or only slightly thickened. Sexual condition polygamous; males intermingled with the female or male and female inflorescences very rarely observed on the same stem. Capsule rather slender, pale yellowish-brown; hypophysis cylindric but not sharply delimited; peristome teeth 50–64, somewhat irregular in size and shape.


Habitat: Soil or humus in damp to wet, chiefly coniferous forests
Elevation: moderate to high elevations

Distribution

V27 159-distribution-map.gif

B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.W.T., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Alaska, Calif., Colo., Maine, Minn., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Pa., Tenn., Wash., Wis., Vt., s, e Asia (Japan), e Asia (Nepal)

Discussion

Variety densifolium is absent from the Arctic, but widespread across northern North America. Most of the eastern North American plants that have been called Polytrichastrum formosum probably belong to this variety, although many of the older herbarium specimens so named are P. ohioense. Variety densifolium is evidently monoicous (see T. Osada 1966), although admittedly this is difficult to demonstrate.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

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

cucullate +
prominent +
Gary L. Smith Merrill +
(Mitten) Z. Iwatsuki & A. Noguchi +
toothed +
differentiated +
Polytrichum densifolium +
distinct +
lanceolate +  and linear +
firm-textured +
serrulate +, distantly +  and entire +
inflexed +  and erect +
not pitted +  and papillose +
polygamous +, dioicous +  and sexual +
sparsely ciliate;smooth +
cucullate +
pale yellowish-brown +
horizontal;inclined to almost +
4(-6)-angled +  and short-rectangular +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
prolonged +
toothed +
undifferentiated +
B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, N.W.T. +, N.S. +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Alaska +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Maine +, Minn. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, Pa. +, Tenn. +, Wash. +, Wis. +, Vt. +, s +, e Asia (Japan) +  and e Asia (Nepal) +
moderate to high elevations +
scabrous +, mammillose +  and smooth +
Soil or humus in damp to wet, chiefly coniferous forests +
differentiated +
female +  and male +
photosynthetic +
4 +  and 6 +
serrate +, crenulate +  and serrulate +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
membranous +
1(-3)-stratose +
less entire;finely serrulate +
papillose +  and smooth +
crenulate +  and serrulate +
shape +  and size +
somewhat taller +
male +, polygamous +  and sexual +
sharply toothed +  and entire +
interwoven +
600 cm6,000 mm <br />6 m <br /> (?) +
toothed +
toothlike +
J. Hattori Bot. Lab. +
underground +
undifferentiated +
rounded +  and narrowly elliptic +
yellowish +  and reddish-brown +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
hyaline-margined +
rectangular +
tapering;ovate;elliptic +
differentiated +
larger +  and minute +
6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
Polytrichum formosum var. densifolium +
Polytrichastrum formosum var. densifolium +
Polytrichastrum formosum +
variety +
pale +  and brownish +
unjointed +
not keeled +
green +  and dark olive green +
slender +  and medium +