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Published In: Phytologia 65: 425. 1989. (Phytologia) Name publication detailView in BotanicusView in Biodiversity Heritage Library
 

Project Name Data (Last Modified On 10/21/2011)
Acceptance : Accepted
Project data     (Last Modified On 10/21/2011)
Nomenclature:

68. DOLOTORTULA                 Plate 99.

Dolotortula Zand., Phytologia 65: 425, 1989. Type: Dolotortula mniifolia (Sull.) Zand.

Habitat:

            A rare taxon of scattered distribution, being found on soil, often calcareous, at moderate elevations; Mexico, West Indies, Central America and the Andes of South America.

Notes:

            Among the three genera with epapillose, very large upper laminal cells (Chenia, Dolotortula and Sagenotortula), Dolotortula is unusual in its strong, multistratose border of stereid cells (Pl. 99, f. 6, 8). Species of Tortula sect. Pottia and Tortula sect. Hyophilopsis with bordered leaves and large upper laminal cells have somewhat the same appearance, but these have (broadly) acute leaf apices, uni- to bistratose borders of substereid cells, at least weakly papillose upper laminal cells, and have a yellow laminal KOH reaction. Quite possibly, through elaboration of the marginal border, loss of upper laminal papillae, and modification of cell wall chemistry to enable the red color reaction (all apparently advanced character states), Dolotortula was derived from shared ancestors of such taxa (see Cladogram 14). It appears unrelated to Sagenotortula because of the Syntrichia-like costal section of the latter genus, while Chenia may be derived from borderless, serrate-margined species of Tortula sect. Pottia (but if so then distantly, see Cladograms 11 and 14). Tortula domingensis, which Crum and Steere (1957) indicated was “doubtfully distinct” from D. mniifolia (discussed as Tortula), is actually a Brachymenium (new combination made in section on Excluded Taxa).

Literature: Bartram (1949), Zander (1989).
Number of accepted species: 1
Species Examined: D. mniifolia (BM, BUF, FH, TENN).

 

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            Plants in a loose turf, green above, brownish green below.  Stems seldom branching, to 1.5 cm in length, transverse section round, central strand present, distinct, sclerodermis and hyalodermis absent; axillary hairs of clear cells, several cells in length; weakly rhizoidiferous. Leaves contorted, appressed when dry, widely spreading and somewhat rosulate when moist, spathulate, 2.5–4.0 µm in length, upper lamina flat, very weakly channeled along the costa, margins weakly recurved below midleaf, entire, with a narrow cartilaginous border of stereid cells to 4 cells in thickness and ending at or just before apex; apex rounded or emarginate, often bluntly apiculate; base little differentiated in shape; costa thin, percurrent or ending up to 4 cells below apex, costa with lamina inserted laterally, superficial cells ventrally long-rectangular, dorsally narrowly elongate, 2 rows of cells across costa ventrally at midleaf, costal transverse section round, stereid band weak and rounded in shape, ventral and dorsal epidermis present, the latter only laterally, guide cells 2 in 1 layer, hydroid strand present, small; upper laminal cells hexagonal to short-rectangular, large, ca. 22–28 µm in width, 1–2:1, walls thin, often weakly trigonous, superficially weakly convex on both sides; papillae absent; basal cells scarcely differentiated, short-rectangular, ca. 30 µm in width, 2–3:1, walls thin. Dioicous. Perichaetia terminal, inner leaves slightly larger than the cauline. Perigonia not seen. Seta 1.0–1.3 cm in length, 1 per perichaetium, red-brown, twisted clockwise; theca ca. 1.7–2.0 µm in length, red- or yellow-brown, cylindrical, exothecial cells thin-walled, hexagonal to short-rectangular, 25–35 µm in width, stomates at base of theca, phaneropore, annulus of 3–4 rows of vesiculose cells, persistent; peristome teeth ca. 32, filamentous, anastomosing at base, densely spiculose, ca. 1000 µm in length, with many articulations, weakly twisted counterclockwise, basal membrane ca. 70 µm in height, densely spiculose-papillose. Operculum not seen (blunt-conic ex descr.). Calyptra not seen. Spores 10–13 µm in diameter, yellowish, weakly papillose. Laminal KOH color reaction red.

 
 
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