Puiggariopsis aurifolia Menzel 1992

Puiggariopsis aurifolia

Puiggariopsis aurifolia (Mitt.) Menzel, J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 71: 239. 1992; Ctenidium aurifolium Mitt., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 12: 509. 1869; Puiggariella aurifolia (Mitt.) Broth. in Engl. & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 1(3): 1047. 1908. Type: Brasilia tropica, Burchell 2275 (holotype: NY!; isotype: BM!).

Pilotrichum disciflorum Geh. & Hampe, Flora 64: 403. 1881; Puiggariella disciflora (Geh. & Hampe) Broth. in Engl. & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 1(3): 1047. 1908. Type: Brazil. Apiahy, Apr 1879, Puiggari 618 (holotype: BM!; isotype: H!).

Papillaria rutenbergiacea Müll. Hal., Hedwigia 40: 90. 1901. Type: Brazil. Rio de Janeiro, ad truncos arborum montis Tijuca, Nov 1893, Ule 1697 (isotypes: H!, US!).

Plants in medium-sized to robust mats, yellowish green. Stems 2–3(–5) cm long, ascending to arching, rarely creeping, subpinnately branched, sometimes becoming flagelliform; stems in cross section lacking a hyalodermis, with a few rows of small, thick-walled cells and large, thin-walled cells in center, central strand present; rhizoids finely papillose, reddish brown, on ventral side of stem; paraphyllia present, narrowly lanceolate; pseudoparaphyllia foliose; axillary hairs reddish brown, consisting of 2–4, short basal cells and (1–)2–3(–5) elongate, distal cells. Asexual reproductive bodies lacking. Branch and stem leaves differentiated; stem leaves 1.9–2.2 mm long, 0.9–1.3 mm wide, imbricate, julaceous, erect to spreading, weakly secund, ovate, gradually acuminate with the acumen twisted, plicate, shortly decurrent; margins plane, serrulate throughout; costa double, separated at base, to ¼ the leaf length; median cells (30–)45–55 (–65) × ˜2.5 µm (lumen; ˜5 µm including walls), linear, thick-walled, porose, upper cells prorulose at upper ends on abaxial surface, becoming shorter, broader, thicker-walled and smooth toward the insertion; alar cells deeply excavate, weakly differentiated, rectangular, thick-walled, porose. Branch leaves 1.3–1.9 mm long, 0.6–0.8 mm wide, smaller and narrower than stem leaves. Dioicous. Perichaetial leaves erect, oblong-obovate, abruptly acuminate, not plicate; margins weakly serrulate above. Setae 15–18 mm long, smooth, reddish brown; capsules 1.0–1.5 mm long, 0.8–1.0 mm wide, inclined to horizontal, ovoid, strongly constricted below the mouth when dry; operculum ˜1.2 mm long, obliquely conic-rostrate; exostome teeth yellowish, with a zigzag center line, on front surface cross-striolate with overlying papillae below, irregularly striolate with overlying papillae toward middle, papillose above; endostome almost smooth, with a low basal membrane, nearly as high as exostome teeth, keeled, narrowly perforate, cilia 1–2, rudimentary or absent. Spores too few to accurately determine size, appearing spherical, finely papillose. Calyptrae cucullate, densely hairy.

Distribution and ecology: Known from Mexico to Nicaragua, southern Brazil, Venezuela, and Peru; usually growing on tree trunks and branches, less often on rocks or soil, at (200–)700–1000(–1800) m.

Illustrations in publications: Fig. 780 (as Puiggariella aurifolia (Mitt.) Broth.) in Nishimura and Ando (1994: 1052); Fig. 182E–H (as Puiggariella aurifolia (Mitt.) Broth.) in Bartram (1949: 412).

Discussion: This distinctive moss is recognized by its differentiated branch and stem leaves with prorulose laminal cells. The leaves are plicate and short-decurrent, with strongly excavate but otherwise weakly differentiated alar cells. The genus is unique among the Latin American Hypnaceae by the presence of paraphyllia. The densely hairy calyptra is also distinctive. Although Nishimura et al. (1984) defined the Hypnaceae as lacking paraphyllia, he (Nishimura, 1989) appears to make an exception for this genus.

The description of the spore shape and ornamentation was taken from Nishimura (1989), who saw only 2–3 spores in a scanning electron microscope study of the peristome. However, the few spores that he observed were not enough to determine their size (N. Nishimura, Okayama University of Science, Japan, personal communication).

Selected specimens examined: MEXICO. Oaxaca: 59 km NE de Llano de las Flores, Delgadillo 854 (MEXU, NY). Puebla: El Cerro de Cuhuatepetl, Tehuacan, Santos 3329 (FH, MICH, NY). Veracruz: El Esquilón, 1300 m, Buck 35534 (NY). GUATEMALA. Alta Verapaz: Near Chirriacté, Standley 91604 (FH). Baja Verapaz: Civija, Sharp 5193 (FH, MICH, NICH). NICARAGUA. Without locality, Garnier 5053 (FH, MICH). BRAZIL. Paraná: Banhado, Dusén 12177 (BM, FH, MICH, NY). Rio de Janeiro: Type of Papillaria rutenbergiacea. Rio Grande do Sul: Bom Jesús, Sehnem 211 (FH, NY). Santa Catarina: Nova Venezia, E. Ule 1186 (H). São Paulo: Mpio. Eldorado Paulista, Vital & Buck 12543 (NY, SP).

Puiggariopsis aurifolia là một loài Rêu trong họ Hypnaceae. Loài này được (Mitt.) M. Menzel miêu tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1992.