Tropicos | Name - !Bryum pseudocapillare Besch.

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!Bryum pseudocapillare Besch.

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Discussion:

Bryum pseudocapillare has lax, thin‑walled leaf cells and belongs to the capillare‑ complex of species (revised by Syed, 1973). It is best recognized by the presence of smooth, filamentous propagula in its leaf axils. Unfortunately, this feature is not always present in Central American material. The leaves of Bryum pseudocapillare are not or weakly spirally twisted when dry and they have a percurrent to shortly excurrent costa. Although in general its leaves are indistinctly bordered, this is a variable feature in B. pseudocapillare and often older leaves have moderately developed leaf borders. When axillary propagula are absent the weak, often percurrent costa in this species is the most reliable feature for separating it from other members of the capillare-complex. Most collections of B. capillare also differ from B. pseudocapillare in having strongly spirally‑twisted leaves. Bryum jamaicense differs from B. pseudocapillare in having spinose-mammillose tubers and a well-differentiated leaf border. Bryum limbatum like B. pseudocapillare also has a percurrent to weakly excurrent costa and similarly shaped leaves, but differs from it in having a well-developed leaf limbidium. Bryum erythroloma differs from B. pseudocapillare in its well-developed leaf limbidium and strongly decurrent leaves.

Bartram (1949) and Ochi (1980) synonymized Bryum bernoullii with B. capillare, but Syed (1973) considered it a likely synonym of B. pseudocapillare.

Illustrations: Bartram (1929a, Pl.18 A–H); Syed (1973, Figs. 15–16); Sharp et al. (1994, Fig. 362 a–m). Figure 150 E–H.

Habitat: Base of coconut palms, logs, charred wood, boulders, and dry or damp banks or hummocks in swamps, Alnus forests and alpine meadows; sea level–4400 m.

Distribution in Central America: BELIZE. Cayo: Allen 19049 (BRH, MO). GUATEMALA. Alta Verapaz: Türckheim 6647 (NY); Guatemala: Standley 80601a (F); Huehuetenango: Standley 81087a (F); Izabal: Steyermark 39807 (F); Quezaltenango: Standley 83820 (F, NY); San Marcos: Steyermark 36097 (F, NY). EL SALVADOR. Chalatenango: Sipman et al. 37671 (NY); Santa Ana: Watson 88 (MO). HONDURAS. Atlántida: Allen 17288 (MO, TEFH); Comayagua: Allen 11791 (MO, TEFH); Yoro: Allen 13579 (MO, TEFH). NICARAGUA. Jinotega: Standley 9819 (F). COSTA RICA. Alajuela: Brenes (FH); Cartago: King C‑74‑046E (MO); San José: Crosby 9814 (MO). PANAMA. Bocas del Toro: McPherson 7848A (MO); Canal Area: Welch 19903 (NY); Chiriquí: Davidse & D'Arcy 10238G (MO).

World Range: Southeastern U.S.A.; Mexico; Central America; Caribbean, Southern South America; North‑Central Pacific.

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Bryum pseudocapillare Besch., Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot. sér. 6, 3: 205. 1876.

Protologue: Martinique (Plée, in herb. Mus. Par.).

Bryum sawyeri Ren. & Card., Rev. Bryol. 15: 71. 1888. Protologue: Florida and Louisiana. Beauclerc in trunco putrido Sawyer 1886; Pointe à la Hache Langlois 1885.

Bryum bernoullii C. Müll., Bull. Herb. Boissier 5: 183. 1897. Protologue: Guatemala. sine loco speciali: Bernoulli, cujus specimina in hb. Hampeano sub Bryo angustifolio Brid.? occurrunt.

Bryum standleyi Bartr., Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Bot. Ser. 4(9): 354. 1929. Protologue: Honduras. On log, vicinity of Tela, Department of Atlántida, at sea level, January 9, 1928, Paul C. Standley 54261 (F, US).

Plants small to medium-sized, pale green to blackish brown in loose tufts 5–15 mm high; rhizoids moderately developed at base. Leaves 0.8–2 mm long, loosely spreading and somewhat contorted, sometimes weakly spirally twisted when dry, erect‑spreading when wet, oval, oblong or spathulate; apices apiculate; margins plane, indistinctly bordered by 1‑2 rows of long‑rectangular, subentire, crenulate to serrulate; costae subpercurrent, percurrent to short‑excurrent; upper cells rhomboidal to hexagonal, thin‑walled, 30–60 μm long, basal cells rectangular, thin‑walled, bulging 30–70 μm long. Clusters of smooth, reddish, axillary propagula sometimes present. Dioicous. Setae 15–20 mm long, red. Capsules 2–4 mm long, red, oblong‑cylindrical, pendent, neck short, narrowed and gradually tapering to the seta; opercula 0.5 mm long, conic apiculate; exostome teeth yellow, densely papillose, endostome hyaline, lightly papillose, basal membrane to ½ of exostome teeth length, segments well-developed, narrowly perforate, cilia 2–5, appendiculate. Spores 10–12 μm, nearly smooth. Calyptra not seen.