Schistidium flaccidum

Plants in cushions, olivaceous, light brown, or green. Stems 0.5–2 cm, central strand indistinct. Leaves erect or weakly curved when dry, ovate-lanceolate to ovate-triangular strongly keeled distally, 1.3–1.9(–2.4) mm, 1-stratose, rarely with a few 2-stratose striae distally; margins recurved to just before the apex, smooth, 2-stratose with 1-stratose patches; apices acute; costa excurrent as an often long, finely denticulate, straight or flexuose, and sometimes decurrent awn, often embracing part of the lamina, rarely percurrent, smooth; basal marginal cells short-rectangular, usually with transverse walls thicker than longitudinal walls; distal cells mainly ovate or short-rectangular, 7–10 µm wide, smooth, straight or slightly sinuose. Sexual condition autoicous. Capsule orange-brown or yellow-brown, cupulate, 0.6–0.9 mm; exothecial often irregularly angular, short-elongate or isodiametric, thin-walled or slightly thickened, occasionally with small trigones; rim red; stomata present; operculum mamillate; peristome absent or rudimentary, consisting of basal segments, to 30 µm, yellowish or orange-red, papillose. Spores 8–10 µm, granulose or verruculose.

Phenology: Capsules mature late spring to early summer.
Habitat: Rock in open to shaded habitats
Elevation: moderate to high elevations (1500-3200 m)

Distribution

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Alta., Colo., Idaho, Nev., Eurasia, Africa, Atlantic Islands, Pacific Islands.

Discussion

Schistidium flaccidum is characterized by long and broad-based awns, light-colored capsules with red rims, the rudimentary peristome, and the mamillate rostrum. For comparison to the similar arctic taxon 10. S. cryptocarpum, see the discussion thereunder.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.