Tropicos | Name - !Syntrichia bogotensis (Hampe) Mitt. ex R.H. Zander

Cent. Amer. Moss > Pottiaceae > Syntrichia > Syntrichia bogotensis

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!Syntrichia bogotensis (Hampe) Mitt. ex R.H. Zander

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Project Name Data (Last Modified On 2/16/2011)

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Project data (Last Modified On 2/16/2011)

Discussion:

Syntrichia bogotensis is the only Central American species of Syntrichia with hair-pointed leaves. It also has sheathing leaves that are squarrose-recurved above when wet, densely pluripapillose upper leaf cells, a small dorsal stereid band in its costa, and a stem hyalodermis. The leaves of S. bogotensis have small indentations along the upper leaf margins that appear to indicate zones of weakness in the leaf lamina along which the leaves often break. Syntrichia andicola (Mont.) Ochyra, which is present in Mexico and western South America, is similar to S. bogotensis, but differs in having strongly revolute leaf margins. The species also are apparently ecologically distinct with S. andicola usually growing on soil above 3,000 m while S. bogotensis grows on bark at from 1,800 to 3,000 m (Mishler 1994).

Illustrations: Bartram (1949, Fig. 63 D–G); Sharp et al. (1994, Fig. 254); Churchill and Linares (1995, Fig. 161, e–i). Figure 75.

Habitat: On bark (Alnus); 3100–4000 m.

Distribution in Central America: GUATEMALA. San Marcos: Steyermark 35563a (F); Totonicapán: Standley 84521a (F).

World Range: Mexico; Central America; Western South America.

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Syntrichia bogotensis (Hampe) Zand., Bull. Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sci. 32: 267. 1993.

Barbula bogotensis Hampe, Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. sér. 5, 3: 349. 1865. Tortula bogotensis (Hampe) Mitt., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 12: 171. 1869. Protologue: Colombia. Bogota, Guadalupe, altit. 2900 metr., in nemorib., August. 1863 leg. Lindig.

Tortula guatemalensis Bartr., Bryologist 49: 114. 1946. Protologue: Guatemala. Dept. San Marcos: between San Sebastián and summit of Volcán Tajumulco, alt. 3800–4600 m., Steyermark 35564 (F).

Plants large, green to brownish green, in tufts, corticolous. Stems 10–50 mm high, irregularly branched, central strand weakly developed, hyalodermis present; rhizoids dense at base of stems, smooth, red, densely branched. Axillary hairs 10–13 cells long, all cells hyaline. Leaves evenly spaced, 3–6 mm long, lingulate to ovate-lanceolate, clasping at base, twisted and crisped when dry, squarrose-recurved when wet; apices acute to acuminate, tapered to a long, reddish, sparsely spinulose awn; lamina unistratose, often fragile above; margins irregularly wavy, entire, plane or occasionally recurved near middle; costa long-excurrent, ventral surface cells quadrate, papillose, guide cells and single (dorsal) stereid band present, ventral surface layer of enlarged cells present; upper cells round, quadrate, hexagonal, to short-rectangular, 10–24 x 12–16 μm, firm-walled, irregularly thickened, collenchymatous, densely pluripapillose, papillae at times branched, inner basal cells abruptly enlarged, hyaline, rectangular, thin-walled, smooth, 34–90 x 16–20 μm, outer basal cells, yellow, longer and narrower, alar cells not differentiated. Dioicous. Setae smooth, 10 mm long, brown. Capsules exserted, cylindrical, erect, 3–4 mm long, brown, smooth; stomata not seen; opercula rostrate, 1–2 mm long; peristome teeth 1.0 mm long, twisted 1/2 turn, basal membrane short. Spores 12–16 μm, granulate. Calyptra not seen.