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Rigodium hylocomioides

Comprehensive Description

provided by Smithsonian Contributions to Botany
Rigodium hylocomioides

Rigodium hylocomioides Card. & Broth., K. Svensk. Vet. Ak. Handl. 63 (10):69, 1923. [Original material: Southern Patagonia; Skyring, Puerto Pinto n. 841, Dawson Isl., Harris Bay n. 843. Tierra del Fuego; Seno Almirantazgo, Hope Bay n. 842. All coll. C. Skottsberg, 1907–1909.]

Yellowish green plants in loosely tangled mats to 4 cm high, without distinct, erect stipes, rhizoids in scattered patches but stems mostly bare. Mature stem leaves mostly squarrose from a concave base, with slender, usually recurved acumination, blade to 1.0 mm wide, 0.5 mm long, rather auriculate, tapering gradually into acumen which is 0.3–0.5 mm long; lower margins rather strongly recurved, serrulate; costa usually short and double, weak, rarely reaching acumen; inner cells of lamina short-linear, ca. 6 μm wide, 25–30 μm long; cell walls only slightly thickened, not as wide as lumens; upper marginal cells scarcely shorter or broader than median cells; many alar cells subquadrate in cluster at base of small auricle, cells 12–15 μm long. Branch leaves laxly spreading, ovate; primary branch leaves ca. 0.6 mm long, to 0.4 mm wide, slightly acuminate, margin serrulate, basal margin broadly reflexed; costa subpercurrent, ca. 20 μm wide at base; inner cells of lamina 4–6 μm wide, 12–20 μm long; marginal cells more rounded, to 8 μm wide, 12 μm long; alar cells short-rhomboidal to subquadrate, ca. 10 μm in diameter; secondary and ultimate branch leaves smaller, 0.4–0.5 mm long, acute not acuminate, less recurved on margin. Sporophyte not known.

MAS AFUERA: Correspondencia, ca. 1100 m, Sk. 466 (S); Los Innocentes, below summit, ca. 4000 ft, H. & E. 235.

The species is known only from Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, and Juan Fernandez. In Juan Fernandez it apparently is restricted to high open areas.
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bibliographic citation
Robinson, Harold E. 1975. "The mosses of Juan Fernandez Islands." Smithsonian Contributions to Botany. 1-88. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.0081024X.27