Weissia sharpii

L. E. Anderson & B. A. E. Lemmon

Bryologist 76: 133, figs. 9, 10, 12–24. 1973,.

Treatment appears in FNA Volume 27. Treatment on page 514. Mentioned on page 493, 513, 515, 518.

Leaves deltoid to ovate, base ovate or rectangular, shoulders weak or absent, distal laminal margins loosely inrolled or occasionally sharply incurved, apex channeled or somewhat cucullate, acute to broadly acute, mucro sometimes weak but usually strong, of (1–)5–9 cells; costal adaxial stereid band smaller than the abaxial; distal laminal cells 10–13 µm wide. Sexual condition autoicous. Seta elongate, 0.5–1.5 cm. Capsule stegocarpic, ovate, operculum differentiated, falling, peristome present, teeth absent, rudimentary to ligulate.


Phenology: Capsules mature spring.
Habitat: Calcareous rock, cedar-oak bluffs, cedar barrens
Elevation: moderate elevations

Distribution

V27 737-distribution-map.gif

Ala., Ark., Ga., Ky., Mo., Ohio, Tenn., Va.

Discussion

Weissia sharpii is a comparatively large species, and may be mistaken for Trichostomum crispulum, which, however, has erect distal laminal margins and commonly a strongly cucullate apex. Weissia sharpii has many of the characteristics of the European species W. condensa including large distal laminal cells, ca. 10–13 µm, and large mucro, of ca. 7–9 cells; W. sharpii has a reduced peristome, W. condensa is eperistomate or occasionally has a very reduced peristome. With reciprocal transplantation experiments, A. J. Shaw (1987) found W. sharpii and W. controversa to be closely related, but distinguishable by a few discontinuous characters: leaf length-width ratio, distal leaf width, and width of the gap between involute leaf margins. These are in addition to differences in chromosome number and ecology.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Weissia sharpii"
Richard H. Zander +
L. E. Anderson & B. A. E. Lemmon +
Undefined subfam. Trichostomaceae +
Ala. +, Ark. +, Ga. +, Ky. +, Mo. +, Ohio +, Tenn. +  and Va. +
moderate elevations +
Calcareous rock, cedar-oak bluffs, cedar barrens +
Capsules mature spring. +
Astomum +, Hymenostomum +, Weissia sect. Astomum +, Weissia subg. Astomum +  and Weissia subg. Hymenostomum +
Weissia sharpii +
species +