Monday, October 10, 2011

Specimen #2 Moss

                                           Figure 1: Peristome teeth

                                           Figure 2: Phyllids
                                          Figure 3: The moss is growing on dead wood

Name: Ditrichum pusillum
Family:  Ditrichaceae
Collection Date:  October 4, 2011
Habitat: Growing on a piece of dead wood in the shade
Location: West Woods
Description: Very small branches of leaves with sporophytes extending high above.  The seta is an orangish-red color.
Collector: Kelcie Cuckler

Key used: Conard, H.S. and P.L. Redfearn, Jr. 1979. How to Know the Mosses and Liverworts 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, Boston, Mass.
Keying Steps:
Introduction Key pg. 19
1a. Plant with stems and leaves,.. rhizoids multicellular,.. no elaters in capsule.. 2
2b. Plants not sphagnidae.. 3
3b. Plants not andreaeidae.. p.28 subclass bryidae

Key to Genera
1b. Green, brown, yellow plants.. not in 2 or 3 layers.. 3
3b. Leaves inserted in 3 or more rows.. 7
7b. Plants with a peristome of more than 4 teeth.. 8
8b. Leaves well developed and persistent.. 9
9b. Capsule and leaves not as above.. 10
10b. Plants without a distinct stem, capsule with operculum.. 17
17b. Plants minute to large, capsules minute to exerted.. 20
20b. Leaves without photosynthetic outgrowths.. 28
28b. Plants don't only grow on organic matter.. peristome single or double.. 33
33a. Stems erect, unbranched, generally in tufts.. 34
34b. Leaves, especially bases, not as above.. 36
36b. Leaf cells smooth.. 83
83b. Plant growing on soil, rock, or trees but not forming long creeping stems.. 85
85a. Very small mosses, less than 4 mm tall, difficult to identify without capsules.. 86
86b. Seta longer, capsule not immersed.. 89
89b. Plants green, growing on soil or rocks, peristome divided into threads.. 90
90a. Teeth divided into threads.. p.69 Ditrichum (Order Dicranales)

Key to Genera Ditrichum
1a. Leaves long, more or less erect to loosely spreading, awn slender.. 2
2b. Seta red.. 3
3a. Plants 5-10 mm tall, leaves erect to somewhat spreading, margins more or less revolute.. Ditrichum pusillum

Links:


No comments:

Post a Comment