Tropicos | Name - !Bryum huillense Welw. & Duby

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!Bryum huillense Welw. & Duby

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Project data (Last Modified On 2/22/2011)

Discussion:

Bryum huillense is a medium- to large-sized species with a strongly developed rosulate habit, and an exceptionally well-developed leaf limbidium. As noted by Mohamed (1984), B. huillense has filamentous axillary propagula identical to those of B. billarderi, and the two species are otherwise very similar. Bryum billarderi however is generally smaller (leaves 2–6 vs 5–7 mm long) than B. huillense, it lacks 2-3-storied rosettes, and has less developed leaf limbidia. Bryum richardsii is also comparable to B. huillense but it too is a smaller plant with a less strongly developed rosulate habit, and slender, scale-leaved branches in its upper axils.

Bryum huillense is often associated with the Rhodobryum-complex of species (Ochi 1972, 1981, 1994, Touw 1978, Frahm et al. 1990), and Bartram (1949) reported a Guatemalan collection of this species (Standley 57819a, F) as Rhodobryum confluens Par. The species, however has a Bryum-type costa (with well-developed dorsal stereids) rather than a Rhodobryum-type costa (stereid cells absent or with dorsal substereids).

As noted by Koponen and Norris (1984) Bryum huillense appears very close to B. russulum Broth. & Geh. Although Ochi (1971, 1981, 1994) and Touw (1978) reported R. huillense (as R. homalobolax C. Müll. ex Ren.) from Southeast Asia (Borneo), Mohamed (1984) considered the specimen on which the record is based to be B. russulum.

Illustrations: Ochi (1972, Figs. 81–83); Ochi (1974, Fig. 2); Sharp et al. (1995, Fig. 369 a–c). Figure 145.

Habitat: On shaded tree trunks, rotting logs, and soil over rock or shaded drainage ditches; 1100–2680 m.

Distribution in Central America: GUATEMALA. Chimaltenango: Standley 57819a (F); Quiché: Proctor 25404 (MO). EL SALVADOR. Santa Ana: Watson ES-0093 (MO). NICARAGUA. Estelí: Stevens 16295B (MO); Madriz: Stevens 16445 (MO). COSTA RICA. Cartago: Crosby & Crosby 6354 (MO); Puntarenas: Quesada 1212 (MO); San José: Burger & Liesner 6502 (MO). PANAMA. Chiriquí: Croat 13772B (MO).

World Range: Mexico; Central America; Western South America, Brazil; West, Northeast, East, West-Central, and South Tropical Africa, Western Indian Ocean.

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Bryum huillense Welw. & Duby, Mém. Soc. Phys. Genève 21: 221. 1875.

Rhodobryum huillense (Welw. & Duby) Touw, J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 44: 150. 1978.

Protologue: Angola. Huilla, ca 3800–5500 p., ad truncos et rupes vicinias prope cataractas agri Lopollensis et Andongensis, Welwitsch.

Plants medium-sized, shiny, dark-green, in loose tufts, 10–40(–60) mm high, rosulate, plants branched by innovations, forming 2–3-storied rosettes; rhizoids dense, reddish brown, papillose. Leaves 5–7 x 2–3 mm, spirally twisted to erect-flexuose when dry, spreading when wet, obovate‑oblong, not or weakly decurrent; apices acuminate; margins bordered by 3–5 rows of longer and narrower, strongly differentiated cells, recurved in lower half, plane above, serrate to serrulate in upper half, teeth single; costae shortly excurrent, in cross-section at base with 3 layers of enlarged ventral cells, dorsal stereids well-developed; upper cells rhomboidal to rhomboidal-hexagonal, often porose, 50–70 μm long, basal cells long‑rectangular, 100–200 x 30–40 μm, alar cells reddish, shorter and broader, otherwise weakly differentiated. Asexual reproduction by terminal clusters of reddish brown, papillose, multicellular, uniseriate, propagula. Dioicous. Setae single, 25–30 mm long, reddish brown. Capsules 4–7 mm long, cylindrical to oblong-pyriform, inclined to pendent, neck short and weakly striate; opercula 1 mm long, conic-apiculate; annuli compound and revolute; peristome perfect, exostome teeth red-yellow, densely and finely papillose below, papillose above, strongly trabeculate at back, endostome yellowish hyaline, lightly papillose, basal membrane to ½ of exostome teeth length, segments well-developed, broadly perforate, cilia 2–3, appendiculate below, nodose above. Spores 10–15 μm, smooth to lightly roughened. Calyptra not seen.