Orthotrichaceae

Diagnosis: Plants small to medium-sized. Secondary stems erect, 2-25 mm long, densely tomentose. Leaves rugose, erect-contorted to spirally twisted around stem when dry, erect-patent to patent, reflexed at tips when wet, 1.3-2 mm long, ovate-oblong to oblong-lingulate; apices apiculate to stoutly mucronate; margins entire, plane or weakly recurved below, plane above; costa excurrent, filing the apiculus; upper cells 6-12 µm, rounded-quadrate to oblate, smooth, incrassate, basal cells 16-32 µm long, long-rhomboidal, incrassate and porose with narrow lumina. Filiform, densely papillose brood bodies occasionally present on lower, dorsal costa surface. Setae 2-4 mm long; capsules 1.5-2 mm long, oblong-cylindrical, smooth, wrinkled or furrowed when dry; operculum to 1 mm long; exostome teeth red, with a narrow median furrow, reflexed when dry, endostome yellow. Calyptra campanulate, papillose above, lobed at base, 3-3.5 mm long. Spores anisosporous, 14-26 µm diameter, lightly papillose and 30-50 µm diameter, densely papillose.

Distribution: Southeastern and South-Central U.S.; Mexico; Central America; Caribbean, Western and South America, Brazil

Ecology: On bark of tree trunks and upper branches, fallen logs and occasionally on boulders; 10-2200 m.

Basionym: Orthotrichum rugifolium Hook.

Basionym Citation: Musci Exotici 2: 19. 128. 1819.

Type Locality: Brazil. Prope Rio Janeiro Americae meridionalis

Type Collection: Swainson

Types Deposited at: Holotype: NY

Other Published Figures: E. B. Bartram. 1949. Mosses of Guatamala. fig. 103 F-I; Crum & Anderson. 1981. Mosses of Eastern N.A. fig. 353 A-H