Ptychostomum wrightii

Plants in dense or open turfs, red-green or red-brown. Stems 0.5–1(–2) cm, fertile stems comose, innovations evenly foliate. Leaves yellow-green to red-green, distant proximally, crowded distally, somewhat contorted to shrunken when dry, ovate, concave, 0.5–2 mm, not enlarged toward stem apex; base green, not decurrent; margins revolute proximally, limbidium strong, in 2 or 3 rows; apex acute; costa percurrent to short-excurrent, awn absent; proximal laminal cells long-rectangular, 3–5:1; medial and distal cells 18–25 µm wide, 2–3:1, walls thin. Specialized asexual reproduction absent. Sexual condition synoicous. Seta red-brown, 1–3 cm, slender, straight to somewhat flexuose. Capsule yellow-red, red, or red-brown, often shiny, broadly ovate to pyriform, symmetric, 2–3 mm, mouth yellow-red; operculum short-conic, smooth or weakly apiculate; peristome reduced; exostome teeth yellow proximally, hyaline distally, lamellae somewhat curved proximally, pores absent; endostome not or weakly adherent to exostome, basal membrane low to rudimentary, segments very short, cilia absent. Spores 18–20(–22) µm, yellow.

Phenology: Capsules mature Jul–Aug.
Habitat: Damp calcareous soil, silt, tundra
Elevation: low to moderate elevations (0-1500 m)

Distribution

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Greenland, Nfld. and Labr. (Labr.), N.W.T., Nunavut, Que., Yukon, Alaska, Eurasia.

Discussion

Ptychostomum wrightii is a small arctic species with distinctive capsules that are somewhat inflated, shiny red, and ovate to pyriform, and a poorly developed fragile endostome. The stems are sparsely radiculose; the costal awns are smooth. Capsules are needed for identification.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.