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.)
 
INTRO TO MOSS ID (p. 22)
(10 most common OH mosses)
Platygyrium repens and Entodon seductrix

Sideshow Bob

Plstygyrium repens
is an extremely common inhabitant of decorticated logs. It has a distinctively look: dark green, almost oily-looking. 
 
Log

Platygtrium repens on log at A.W. Marion State Park, Pickaway County, OH, December 2007.

 
Plstygytium repens

Platygyrium repens is a small little-branched pleurocarp that often has numerous ascending branches.
The sporophytes are erect, with straight capsules.

A useful diagnostic feature of Platygyrium is the presence of clusters of propagula (asexual reproductuve structures) at the tips of many upright branches, somewhat resembling the dreadlocks worn by the Simpson's character "Sideshow Bob."

Platygyrium propgula

Platygyrium through the microscope is recognized by having moderatly long leaf cells, a short double costa, and triangular blocks of short, thick-walled alar cells.

Platygyrium leafleaf base


Platygyium repens leaf (left) and leaf base (right) showing short double costa and blocks of squarish, thick-walled alar cells.

Entodon seductrix

Entodon seductrix is a moderately large, shiny, much-branched pleucarp that is common on stumps and logs, occasionally ocuring on the ground as well.

Entodon habitat

Entodon seductrix on a stump at Kraus Wood Preserve, Delaware, OH.

There are two fairly common species of Entodon in Ohio, differentiable in the field by the disposition of their leaves on the stem. E. cladorhizans (not shown) is strongly flattened (complanate), whereas this species, E. seductrix, is julaceous i.e., the leaves surround the stem in an expanded uniform way so that the branches are more or less tubular, like a cat's tail.

Entodon seductrix

Entodon seductrix, from above.  

Entodon leaves are ovate in shape, with a short double costa, and clearly differentiated triangular clusters of short-rectangular alar cells. The sporophytes are erect with especially long straight capsules.

Entodon leafEntodon capsules

Entodon seductrix leaf (left) and capsules in mid-November.
 
Coming Soon: Ceratodon  and Anomodon rostratus

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