Tortula acaulon

(Withering) R. H. Zander

Bull. Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sci. 32: 378. 1994,.

Basionym: Phascum acaulon Withering Syst. Arr. Brit. Pl. ed. 4., 3: 768. 1801 (as acaule)
Synonyms: Microbryum floerkeanum var. henrici Renauld & Cardot Phascum cuspidatum R. H. Zander Phascum cuspidatum var. americanum Renauld & Cardot Phascum cuspidatum var. henrici (Renauld & Cardot) Wijk & Margadant Phascum cuspidatum var. piliferum (Hedwig) Hooker & Taylor Phascum cuspidatum var. schreberianum (Dickson) Bridel Tortula acaulon var. pilifera (Hedwig) R. H. Zander Tortula acaulon var. schreberiana (Dickson) R. H. Zander Tortula atherodes Tortula atherodes var. pilifera (Hedwig) R. H. Zander Tortula atherodes var. schreberiana (Dickson) R. H. Zander
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 27. Treatment on page 595. Mentioned on page 587, 589, 592, 593, 604, 631.

Leaves ovate to oblong-lanceolate, apex acute, mucronate to short-awned, occasionally comparatively long-awned, margins recurved proximally to nearly plane, not or weakly bordered distally with slightly thicker-walled cells; costa excurrent, lacking an adaxial pad of cells, distally narrow, 2(–3) cells across adaxial surface; distal laminal cells distally quadrate-hexagonal, width 13–17 µm, 1:1, weakly simply papillose or smooth. Sexual condition autoicous. Sporophytes immersed. Seta very short. Capsule cleistocarpic, spheric to very short-ellipsoid, erect, mostly 0.9–1.3 mm; peristome absent; operculum not differentiated. Spores (25–)33–40 µm, spheric, densely papillose.


Phenology: Capsules mature winter–spring.
Habitat: Soil, lawns, fields, banks
Elevation: low to moderate elevations

Distribution

V27 849-distribution-map.gif

Alta., B.C., N.S., Ont., Que., Sask., Alaska, Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., Fla., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., La., Md., Mich., Minn., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Utah., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Mexico, Europe, Asia, n Africa, Pacific Islands (New Zealand).

Discussion

The varieties pilifera and schreberiana are not recognized here. The former name may be used for plants with long awns, and the latter for robust specimens ranging to 1 cm tall, but intergrades appear to be common.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Tortula acaulon"
Richard H. Zander +  and Patricia M. Eckel +
(Withering) R. H. Zander +
Phascum acaulon +
Alta. +, B.C. +, N.S. +, Ont. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Alaska +, Ariz. +, Ark. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Conn. +, Del. +, Fla. +, Idaho +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Kans. +, La. +, Md. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Mo. +, Mont. +, Nebr. +, Nev. +, N.J. +, N.Mex. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, S.Dak. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Utah. +, Va. +, Wash. +, W.Va. +, Wis. +, Mexico +, Europe +, Asia +, n Africa +  and Pacific Islands (New Zealand). +
low to moderate elevations +
Soil, lawns, fields, banks +
Capsules mature winter–spring. +
Bull. Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sci. +
Microbryum floerkeanum var. henrici +, Phascum cuspidatum +, Phascum cuspidatum var. americanum +, Phascum cuspidatum var. henrici +, Phascum cuspidatum var. piliferum +, Phascum cuspidatum var. schreberianum +, Tortula acaulon var. pilifera +, Tortula acaulon var. schreberiana +, Tortula atherodes +, Tortula atherodes var. pilifera +  and Tortula atherodes var. schreberiana +
Tortula acaulon +
species +