University Herbarium
The University and Jepson Herbaria
University of California, Berkeley
Previous taxon California Moss eFlora Next taxon

Eurhynchium pulchellum (Hedwig) Jennings [Brachytheciaceae]

MAP CONTROLS

1. You can change the display of the base map and layers by clicking on the layer control box in the upper right-hand corner.
2. California county polygons can be turned off and on in the layer control box.
3. Filling of Jepson subdivision polygons can be turned off and on in the layer control box.

Database links

UC Specimens in the University and Jepson Herbaria Public Portal

Specimens of Eurhynchium pulchellum in the Consortium of North American Bryophyte Herbaria portal (CNABH)

Eurhynchium pulchellum -- Eurhynchiastrum pulchellum (Hedwig) Ignatov & Huttunen -- Eurhynchium pulchellum (Hedwig) Jennings. Man. Mosses W. Pa. 350. 1913. -- Hypnum pulchellum Hedwig. Sp. Musc. 265. 1901. -- Hypnum precox Hedwig. Sp. Musc. 249. 1901. -- Leskea fasciculosa Hedwig. Sp. Musc. 217. 1901. -- Eurhynchium diversifolium B.S.G., Bryol. Eur.5, fasc. 57/61. 1854. -- Eurhynchium strigosum (Web. & Mohr.) B.S.G. Bryol. Eur.5, fasc. 57/61.1854. -- Eurhynchium substrigosum Kindberg ex Macoun. Ottawa Natur -- Eurhynchium substrigosum var. robustum Roll. Hedwigia 36: 52. 1897. -- Eurhynchium strigosum ssp. subbdiversifolium Kindberg. Rev. Bryol. 34: 205 -- Eurhynchium fasciculosum (Hedwig) Dixon. Rev. Bryol. Lichen 6: 109. (1933) 1934.

   Plants in cushions, mats, olive-green to green, often. Stems to 10 cm long, ascending to erect; or pendent to 50 cm long. Pinnately branched and julaceous with branches of pendent plants microphyllous and attenuate. Leaves to 3.5 mm, 4–7:1, symmetric, sagittate- to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, often with the apex twisted, loosely imbricate when dry and little changed when moist. Margins plane but sometimes ascending in the acumen, not decurrent, entire to serrulate below the middle, coarsely serrate above. Median cells mostly smooth but usually with some dorsal prorations in distal portion of leaf, 5–12 µm wide, 6–10:1, moderately thick-walled with lumen/wall ratio to 2:1, usually pitted. Alar cells quadrate and very thick-walled (lumen/wall ratio 0.5–1:1), with intensely green contents, abruptly differentiated from adjacent laminal cells, often in an excavate pocket. Apical cells rhomboidal, nearly isodiametric. Costa extending about 3/4, usually ending in an abaxial spine. Pseudoparaphyllia deltoid to orbicular, strongly overarching the bud. Axillary hairs 5-celled, to 120 µm with 2 basal brown cells, not offset from leaf insertion. Rhizoids red-brown, 10–12 µm, smooth, in scattered fascicles on ventral portion of prostrate stem.

   Dioicous with male plants similar to females. Perigonia on main axis or on larger lateral branches. Perichaetia on main axis, to 2.5 mm. Perichaetial bracts ecostate, abruptly acuminate from a ligulate-lanceolate base, cells long vermicular, to 25:1. Seta to 2 cm long, exserted. Capsule brown, inclined not distorted or sulcate when dry. Urn to 1.5 mm. Exothecial cells in regular vertical rows, to 25 µm wide, 1–2:1, with thick (lumen/wall ratio 4–6:1), red-brown walls, stomata restricted to base of c?. Operculum rostrate, about 1/4 as long as urn. Exostome horizontally striate below, papillose above, yellow-brown. Endostome segments low papillose, open on keel, about as long as exostome with basal membrane about as high as the segments. Cilia 2, not appendiculate. Spores papillose, 15–20 µm.

 

 

 

   This is a very distinctive pleurocarpous moss easily recognized by the strongly differentiated stem leaves (lanceolate with acuminate apices) compared with the branch leaves (ovate with a bluntly rounded apex. It should be noted here that abruptly shorter cells of the distal leaf is a feature of most of the plants traditionally referred to Eurhynchium and the bluntly rounded leaf apices of E. pulchellum seem to be a consequence of that shortening of the distal cells.

   Within the family Brachytheciaceae, the name Brachythecium refers etymologically to its short capsule while the name Eurhychium refers to the long beak (operculum). The sporophyte of Eurhynchiastrum is unusual because of its very small seta (to 1 mm long).

 

Vouchers: Alpine Co.: Highway 4 at Stanislaus Meadows Trailhead, Stanislaus National Forest, Norris 78997; Del Norte Co.: Doctor Rock, Six Rivers National Forest, Norris 50284; Fresno Co.: Redwood Creek, Windy Gulch Redwood Grove, Sequoia National Forest, Norris, Shevock, & York 87940; Plumas Co.: Onion Valley Creek near Pacific Crest Trail, Plumas National Forest, Norris 83184; Siskiyou Co.: South Fork Lakes west of Callahan, Klamath National Forest, Norris 76902; Tulare Co.: Clover Creek, Marble Fork Kaweah River, Sequoia National Park, Shevock 15633; Tuolumne Co.: Porcupine Creek Trail near Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, Norris 100380.; Mariposa Co.: 6900 ft., Yosemite Valley, red fir white fir and sugar pine, granite wall above stream, Yosemite National Park, Shevock 29133.

Literature: Harthill et al. 1979; Holmberg 1969; Ireland 1982; Koch 1950a; McCleary 1972; McGrew 1976; Showers 1982; Spjut 1971; Steere 1954; Yurky 1990, 1995. As Eurhynchium diversifolium Wynne 1943. As Eurhynchium strigosum Bradshaw 1926; Lesquereux 1868; Sayre 1940. As Eurhynchium strigosum var. scabrisetum Sayre 1940. As Eurhynchium substrigosum Flowers 1973; Koch 1950a, 1951e, 1958; Lawton 1971; Spjut 1971. As Hypnum strigosum Howe 1897; Watson 1880.


Geographic subdivisions for
Eurhynchium pulchellum: CaR, NW, SN.
map of distribution

Illustration References: Malcolm et al. 2009 p. 262; Abramov and Volkova 1998; Buck 1998; Flowers 1973; Ireland 1982; Lawton 1971; Smith 1978; Ignatov 1998.

No illustrations found in database.

Eurhynchium pulchellum
click for enlargement
© 2012 calbryos group
Eurhynchium pulchellum
click for enlargement
© 2012 calbryos group
Eurhynchium pulchellum
click for enlargement
© 2012 calbryos group
Eurhynchium pulchellum
click for enlargement
© 2012 calbryos group

More photos of Eurhynchium pulchellum in CalPhotos

Elevation by latitude plot for Eurhynchium pulchellum

Elevation by latitude plot for Eurhynchium pulchellum
   in California