Ohio Moss and Lichen Association


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Introduction to
Moss ID Links
 

ID1 (Intro to Plants)

ID2 (Bryophytes)

ID3 (Life Cycle)

ID4 (Divsions)

ID5 (Books & Gear)

ID6 (Leaves)

ID7 (Cells)

ID8 (Sporophytes)

ID9 (peculiar Sphagnum)

ID10 (peculiar Atrichum)

ID11 (peculiar Fissidens)

ID12. (Key Overview)

ID13 (Platygyrium start)

ID14 (Platygyrium finish)

ID15 (Funaria start)

ID16 (Funaria finish)

ID17 (Orthotrichum start)

ID18 (Orthotrichum finish)

ID19 (OH Atlas & FQAI)

ID20. (Plag. cusp.)

ID21 (Ambl. vari., Anom. Atte.)

ID22 (Plat. repe., Ento. sedu.)

ID23 (Cera. purp., Anom. rost.)

ID24 (Clim. amer., Thui. deli.)

ID25 (Atri angu.)
 
INTRODUCTION TO MOSS IDENTIFICATION
18.  Brick wall moss, concluded.
 
A young sporophyte is covered by a what seems to be a little hat, called the calyptra. (Technically, the calyptra isn't part of the sporophyte, as it actually consists of maternal gametophyte tissue, a remnant of the egg-containing archegonium.) The calyptra protects the sporangium (capsule) from drying out as it develops. If you're lucky enough to have calyptrae (a mixed blessing, since at this early stage in development the generally more useful peristome isn't available yet) its shape and size can be helpful. 

Orthotrichum calypra

  This moss's calytpra is shaped like a stocking cap --not split in any way. It is mitrate.
Moreover, its surface is longitudinally folded, or plicate.

Two somewhat similar moss genera --both primarily tree-growing, small tufted acrocarps with ovate leaves and immersed capsules --are Orthotrichum and Ulota. An obvious difference is that, when dry,  Orthotrichum leaves are not or only slightly contorted when dry, whereas Ulota leaves are very much twisted and contorted.  
  
Orthotrichum and opilionid

Here the moss is dry, and apears not much contorted. That points to Orthotrichum.

A much less obvious trait, rarely used except in Orthotrichum where it is key to separating species, involves stomates. Stomates are familiar to plant physiologists as they constitute pores, prominent on the undersurfaces of the leaves of vascular plants, that allow carbon dioxide to enter and oxygen to exit. Since moss leaves are one cell thick, there is no role for stomates there, but some moss capsules have them. The following is a picture of a young capsule, slightly squashed, viewed at 40X, showing a few stomates (and the operculum).
    
Orthotrichum capsule

It's not the simple presence or absence of stomates that is diagnostic; it's whether they occur level with the uppermost cell layer (in which case the stomates are "superficial" ) or instead are sunk in a crater-like pit formed by the surrounding cells (immersed stomata). Like the procedure for checking cell papillae, stomate position is best detected by slowly focussing down, and noting whether the stomate and surrounding cells become sharp simultaneously (showing the stomate to be superficial) or instead the stomate snaps into view long afterwards (immersed).

Orthotrichum stomataStomate animation

stomate, static view stomate, 7-step focus animation series

This moss has sunken stomates, additional evidence that it is an Orthotrichum (although a few of the less comon OH species do have have superficial stomata). Additional details about the stomates and the leaves reveal this to be O. pussilum.

Orthotrichum in Crum Key
For habitat and range, Crum says "Bark of trees. Throughout the United States" Apparently the moss didn't read the book! Next door however there is a big sugar maple the trunk of which is densely occupied by this species. Perhaps the presence of the nearby population in its optimal habitat maintains the population on the wall.  Orthotrichum pusillum, known from 20 Ohio 88 counties, is the 5th most comon Orthotrichum (O. pumilum ranks highest, in 43 counties).

Next: Catalog and Atlas of OH mosses.

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