Dicranoloma dicarpum | |
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A collected specimen | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Division: | Bryophyta |
Class: | Bryopsida |
Subclass: | Dicranidae |
Order: | Dicranales |
Family: | Dicranaceae |
Genus: | Dicranoloma |
Species: | D. dicarpum |
Binomial name | |
Dicranoloma dicarpum (Nees) Paris | |
Dicranoloma dicarpum is relatively common moss which is widespread in the Southern Hemisphere. [1] The genus Dicranoloma has 40 species, which share the features of long stems, wispy and twisted leaves, and large, erect capsules. [2] The genus is dominant in wet forest habitats in Australia and New Zealand. [3]
‘Dicran’, for the similarity to the Northern hemisphere genus Dicranum [3] . The suffix ‘-loma’ means border, and refers to a layer of elongate cells along the leaf margins of Dicranoloma, which distinguishes this genus from Dicranum mosses. [3] [4] The word ‘dicarpum’ was coined by German botanist Nees von Esenbeck, and refers to the multiple sporophytes produced from one perichaetium. [1]
Dicranoloma dicarpum plants are dull to bright green in colour, growing to form cushions or tufts. Stems are often branched, and range from 0.5-7.5 cm tall. [3]
The leaves are 3.0-12.4 mm long and 0.5-0.16 mm wide. [3] They are falcate (curved into a sickle shape), spirally twisted, and taper to a pointed tip. There is strong serration along the margins of the leaf tip, although a hand lens is usually required to see this. The leaves are also strongly plicate (folded along an axis) on either side of a central nerve (midrib) running length-wise through the leaf. [2] The deepness of this pleating helps differentiate D. dicarpum from other Dicranoloma species. [2] [5] [6]
Another distinguishing feature is aggregated sporophytes, with 1-10 capsules produced from a single perichaetium [2] (see Figure 2). Setae are light brown and project 0.5-1.0 cm above the perichaetium. [2] Perichaetial leaves are strongly tapered, and grow to about a quarter of the length of the seta. [1] [3] Capsules are cylindrical, smooth and narrow, and grow 3–3.5 mm in length. [1]
At a cellular level, D. dicarpum can be identified by a region of short, square cells beside the nerve in the mid-region of the leaf, with cells becoming longer closer to the leaf margins. [2]
D. dicarpum lives in wet forest between sea level and 1550 metres. [1] [3] It grows on a variety of substrates including logs, rocks, tree bases and stumps, leaf litter or soil. [1] [3] It is found in Australia, New Zealand, Peru, China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, Taiwan, and Vanuatu. [1] [3] [7]
There is considerable variation in the plant's morphology across its geographical range. For example, specimens from southern Australia (Tasmania and Victoria) and New Zealand typically have more setae per perichaetium and longer leaves compared to specimens from northern Australia (New South Wales and Queensland) or other warmer regions. [3]
Fissidens adianthoides, the maidenhair pocketmoss, is a moss in the family of Fissidentaceaea. It was first collected by Hedwig in 1801.
Polytrichum commune is a species of moss found in many regions with high humidity and rainfall. The species can be exceptionally tall for a moss with stems often exceeding 30 cm (12 in) though rarely reaching 70 cm (27.5 in), but it is most commonly found at shorter lengths of 5 to 10 cm. It is widely distributed throughout temperate and boreal latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere and also found in Mexico, several Pacific Islands including New Zealand, and also in Australia. It typically grows in bogs, wet heathland and along forest streams.
Dicranoloma is a genus of mosses in the family Dicranaceae. The Dicranoloma mosses are distributed in the Southern Hemisphere, while the Dicranum mosses are found in the Northern Hemisphere. Species within this genus are dioicous. Another genus in this family is Campylopus. Example occurrences of the genus Dicranoloma is in the form of mats on beech/podocarp forest floors of New Zealand's northern South Island. Dicranoloma dicarpum has a wide distribution in both hemispheres.
Platyhypnidium riparioides, the long-beaked water feathermoss, is a species of aquatic moss commonly found in many regions. This species is among the largest aquatic mosses growing up to 15 cm long. P. riparioides grows in a procumbent or pendulous fashion along rocks and tree roots and may form extensive lax mats of many intermingled plants. It is widely distributed South of the Arctic and can grow abundantly in suitable areas.
Hymenophyllum australe, commonly known as austral filmy fern, is a relatively large rupestral and epiphytic fern, indigenous to eastern Australia and New Zealand. It belongs to the unique Hymenophyllum genus, which are characterised by their thin membranous fronds that are seldom more than one cell thick, with the exception of regions over and around veins. Hymenophyllum australe is distinctive in that the fronds are typically thicker than other Hymenophyllum species, often being up to 2-3 cells thick.
Dicranum scoparium, the broom forkmoss, is a species of dicranid moss, native to North America, including the Great Lakes region. It usually forms tufts or mats on soil in dry to moist forested areas. As with many types of moss Broom moss grows in clumps with Broom mosses as well as other mosses. It can be distinguished by its leaves, which strongly curve to one side.
Itatiella ulei is a species of moss in the family Polytrichaceae. It is the only species in the genus Itatiella. The Polytrichaceae is a common family of mosses that does not have close living relatives. Its small size and the inflexed leaf apex characterize Itatiella ulei. When this species grows directly exposed to sun at high elevations, it presents a similar aspect but can be distinguished based on the distal lamella cells which are single and rhombic.
Calomnion milleri is a species of moss known only from Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. It grows on the aerial adventitious roots of tree-ferns at elevations of 450–875 m.
Tetraphis pellucida, the pellucid four-tooth moss, is one of two species of moss in the acrocarpous genus Tetraphis. Its name refers to its four large peristome teeth found on the sporophyte capsule.
Hypnodendron comosum, commonly known as palm moss or palm tree moss, is a ground moss which can be divided into two varieties: Hypnodendron comosum var. comosum and Hypnodendron comosum var. sieberi. Both Hypnodendron varieties most commonly grow in damp locations in the temperate and tropical rainforests of New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania in southern Australia and in New Zealand.
Racomitrium lanuginosum is a widespread species of moss found in montane and arctic tundra across the Northern and Southern hemispheres. It grows as large mats on exposed rock and in boulder scree, particularly on acidic rocks. Its leaves have a characteristically decurrent and toothed hair-point, which gives rise to its regional common names woolly fringemoss, hoary rock-moss and woolly moss.
Pogonatum urnigerum is a species of moss in the family Polytrichaceae, commonly called urn haircap. The name comes from "urna" meaning "urn" and "gerere" meaning "to bear" which is believed to be a reference made towards the plant's wide-mouthed capsule. It can be found on gravelly banks or similar habitats and can be identified by the blue tinge to the overall green colour. The stem of this moss is wine red and it has rhizoids that keep the moss anchored to substrates. It is an acrocarpous moss that grows vertically with an archegonium borne at the top of each fertilized female gametophyte shoot which develops an erect sporophyte.
Cyathophorum bulbosum, commonly known as quill moss or the false fern moss, is found in the eastern states of Australia as well as Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Auckland Islands, Chatham Island, Lord Howe Island and possibly Norfolk Island and New Ireland.
Pleurophascum grandiglobum is a moss endemic to Tasmania, Australia, and was first noted by S. O. Lindberg in 1875 for its peculiar form of cleistocarpous capsule, erect growth form, lateral perichaetia, and ecostate leaves. Its exceedingly large, inoperculate, and often brightly coloured capsules captured the heart of the 19th-century Scandinavian bryologist, who considered the moss to be "of no less interest to the Museologist than is Rafflesia or Welwitschia to the Phanerogamist". The species currently belongs to a monogeneric family Pleurophascaceae that is found only in temperate Australasia and includes three different species. Pleurophascum ovalifolium, heretofore known as P. grandiglobum var. decurrens, is the New Zealand taxon while the last remaining member of the genus, Pleurophascum occidentale, occurs only in Western Australia.
Seligeria cardotti is one of the two species in genus Seligeria, bryophytes of the Seligeriaceae family, in the Southern Hemisphere; an additional 19 species have been described in the Northern Hemisphere.
Climacium dendroides, also known as tree climacium moss, belongs in the order Hypnales and family Climaciaceae, in class Bryopsida and subclass Bryidae. It is identified as a "tree moss" due to its distinctive morphological features, and has four species identified across the Northern Hemisphere. The species name "dendroides" describes the tree-like morphology of the plant, and its genus name came from the structure of the perforations of peristome teeth. This plant was identified by Weber and Mohr in 1804. They often have stems that are around 2-10 cm tall and growing in the form of patches, looking like small palm-trees. They have yellow-green branches at the tip of stems. The leaves are around 2.5-3 mm long, with rounder stem leaves and pointier branch leaves. Their sporophytes are only abundant in late winter and early spring, and appears as a red-brown shoot with long stalk and cylindrical capsules.
Fissidens limbatus commonly known as Herzog’s pocket-moss, is a moss in the family Fissidentaceae. This species is found growing in high elevations in tropical america in addition to the USA, Mexico and Canada. Montagne first collected F. crispus in 1838.
Plagiomnium venustum, also known as magnificent leafy moss, is a species of moss belonging to the family Mniaceae. It is found mainly in western North America along the coastal region. This moss can be identified from other members of the Plagiomnium genus by dark coloured stomata guide cells and the absence of sterile stems. It is most commonly found growing as a mat on a variety of substrate, but mainly on humus and moist soil.
Andreaea rupestris is a species of moss in the class Andreaopsida, are commonly referred to as the "lantern mosses" due to the appearance of their dehisced sporangia. It is typically found on smooth, acidic, exposed rock in the Northern hemisphere. It exhibits the common features of the genus Andreaea such as being acrocarpous, having dark pigmentation, lacking a seta, and bearing 4 lines of dehiscence in its mature sporangia, but can be further identified upon careful examination of its gametophytic leaves which have an ovate base to a more blunt apex compared to other similar species.
Tortula muralis, commonly known as wall screw-moss, is a species of moss in the family Pottiaceae. T. muralis is found throughout the world.