Sematophyllum brachycladulum Brotherus 1925

Sematophyllum brachycladulum

Sematophyllum brachycladulum (Broth.) Broth., Nat. Pfl. ed. 2, 11:432, 1925.

Rhaphidostegium brachycladulum Broth. in. Skottsb., Nat. Hist. Juan Fernandez 2:442, 1924. [Original material: Valle Colonial, Quebrada Seca, 435 m, Mas a Tierra, coll. C. & I. Skottsberg n. 369.]

Slender, densely caespitose, yellowish green plants with elongate, creeping stems and numerous short branches. Stems brownish radiculose; branches densely foliate with leaves turned upward. Leaves erect-spreading when wet or dry, ca. 1.5 mm long, to 0.6 mm wide, concave, oblong-elliptical, becoming shortly lanceolate-acuminate distally; margins erect, entire; cells of lamina very narrow, with slightly thickened walls; median cells 50–80 μm long, 5–8 μm wide, lumens usually much wider than walls; apical cells 25–40 μm long; basal cells yellow, often rather thickened, mostly ca. 40 μm long; alar cells short-rectangular, distinctly inflated, usually hyaline, often forming rather prominent auricle, mostly in 1 series; 4–5 supraalar cells thick-walled, quadrate, ca. 20 μm in diameter. Autoicous. Perichaetial leaves to 2 mm long, inner leaves ovate-lanceolate, entire. Setae scarcely over 5 mm long, slender, red, smooth. Capsule horizontal, symmetrical, oblong, ca. 0.5 mm long, constricted below mouth when dry; operculum to 0.8 mm long.

MAS AFUERA: Q. Loberia, 280 m, Sk. 496 (S); Q. Ovaio, Sk. M117 (S); Q. Mono, Sk. MU8 (S).

MAS A TIERRA: V. Colonial near trail to Portezuelo de Villagra, ca. 220 m, Sk. M3 (S); Cumberland Bay, El Pangal, Sk. M54 (S); E slope Salsipuedes, ca. 200 m, Sk. M315 (S).

As presently known the species is endemic to Juan Fernandez. It has much of the appearance of S. caespitosum, but the alar cells are more prominent, the median cells are longer, and the capsules are less erect.