Pottiaceae

Zeeland, Netherlands

Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden

Montes de Torrero: Zaragoza.Divisin:Bryophyta Clase:BryopsidaOrden:Pottiales Familia:PottiaceaeDistribucin: Musgo de las regiones boreales y de las montaas tropicales, en reas de muy ocenicas a bastante continentales, cosmopolita.En la Pennsula Ibrica est presente en Espaa y en Portugal, repartido por prcticamente todo el territorio, enrarecindose slo en las regiones ms hmedas. Hbito: Musgo acrocarpo.Hbitat: Terrcola, en suelos poco orgnicos, puede formar grandes cspedes, en claros de bosques abiertos (quejigales, carrascales, pinares de Pinus sylvestris y de P. halepensis, sabinares de Juniperus thurifera en la Depresin del Ebro), en matorrales (romerales, coscojares, aulagares) y en albardinares y pastos secos sobre substratos calcreos o ligeramente cidos.Altitudes: 300- 1400 mEstrategia vital: Perenne competitivoPiso Bioclimtico:Pirineo Montano. Dep. Ebro y Sist. IbericoMesomediterrneoSupramediterrneoDatos reproductivos:Sexualidad: DioicoFertilidad:Sin esporfitosPropagacin vegetativa por estructuras especializadas:NoRangos ecolgicos:Sustrato: Basfilo.Temperatura: Termfilo.Humedad: Xerfilo.Impacto humano: En ambientes con impacto humano de nulo a moderado.Luz: Fotfilo.Extractado del Atlas de la Flora de Aragn (Herbario de Jaca)

This was one of three Syntrichia species collected by Brent Mishler from near Highway 20 in Lake County and photographed by me soon after its collection. March 30th 2012, image I12-0217

The moss with very long hair points to the leaves (including the plant with the green capsule) is Crossidium squamiferum. Also present are Bryum argenteum (eg near the top, left of center, and the silvery plants to the right of the Crossidium patch); Aloina sp. (two plants with narrow, dark green leaves with incurved margins towards the upper right) and many plants with triangular yellow green leaves that I'm guessing are a Didymodon species (possibly also a second species with larger leaves) - comments welcome. Photographed in situ on a steep south-facing open grassy bank with rock outcrops, in a small valley just west of the north branch of Cache Creek south of where it crosses Highway 20, Lake County, California. March 30th 2012, Image I12-0251

Pterygoneurum ovatum habitat.Feb. 4, 2012, Salt Lake County, Bonneville Shoreline terraces, approx. 4900 ft. elev., growing on a small boulder, primarily quartz

Pterygoneurum ovatum. Another common name is Oval-leaved Pottia.Feb. 4, 2012, Salt Lake County, Bonneville Shoreline terraces, approx. 4900 ft. elev., growing on a small boulder, primarily quartz

Pterygoneurum ovatum. Another common name is Oval-leaved Pottia.The second of two plants on an otherwise barren quartz outcrop expanse somehow surviving despite a southwestern exposure (unusual for moss, and difficult for most species). As the plants become dessicated as here, the leaves become very dark and almost black and difficult to see because of the long white awns.The calyptras are usually cucullate but can also be mitrate. The capsules are eperistomate as shown.March 10, 2012, Mt. Olympus foothills, Salt Lake County, Utah about 4,960 ft. elev.

Pterygoneurum ovatum. Another common name is Oval-leaved Pottia.One of two plants on an otherwise barren quartz outcrop expanse somehow surviving despite a southwestern exposure (unusual for moss, and difficult for most species). As the plants become dessicated as here, the leaves become very dark and almost black and difficult to see because of the long awns.The calyptras are usually cucullate but can also be mitrate. The capsules are eperistomate.March 10, 2012, Mt. Olympus foothills, Salt Lake County, Utah about 4,960 ft. elev.

Damper Creek, Queensland, Australia

Mount Elliot, Queensland, Australia

Damper Creek, Queensland, Australia

This small moss was photographed in situ on a drying mud bank along a track running south from Highway 20 near the place where the highway crosses the north fork of Cache Creek, Lake County, California, on March 30th 2012. Thanks to David Toren for the identification. Note that a plant of Syntrichia sp?. can be seen at the right hand edge above the middle. Bryum argenteum, Aloina and two other acrocarps were within inches, and Tortula atrovirens was close by. Image I12-0211.

Tyenna, Tasmania, Australia

Syntrichia ruralis (Hedw.) Weber & Mohr. (synonyms include Tortula ruralis and T. ruraliformis). Gametophytes. When in a more lush condition, the leaves are usually a fairly deep green but can also appear light green-yellow as above. The leaves are tinged with red and are sub-clapsing as the base, squarrose and recurved when moist. When dry they can appear black.The spinulose awns can be as long as 0.5 to 0.75 the length of the leaf blade, sometimes shorter, and appear whitish but are mainly a translucent (hyaline) and with some reddish coloration often at the tip or base.. Grows both in soil and on rocks, often in cracks and with other other mosses. Here is it growing in a less common situation on a flat rock surface being held by connecting growth that extends to where there is soil, and the lichens are providing it with some stability since it isn't ability to affix itself to rock surfaces like say a Grimmia . The lower section section above was about the size of a small pancake and lifted right off the rock surface without any resistance.Feb. 4, 2012, Salt Lake County, Utah, approx. 4,950 ft. elev.

Syntrichia ruralis (Hedw.) Weber & Mohr. (synonyms include Tortula ruralis and T. ruraliformis). The erect setas are normally described as red (but can be reddish-greenish as above) and the capsules red-brown. Gametophytes and sporophytes. Leaves range from green to light green-yellow and are tinged with red.March 18, 2011, in the gravel bar "rough" of Old Mill Golf Course, Salt Lake County, Utah.Our most common moss species.

This moss was one of three Syntrichia species collected by B. Mishler from near Highway 20 in Lake County and photographed by me near soon after its collection. March 30th 2012, Image I12-0219.

Photographed in the field at Flying M Ranch, in the eastern Central Valley, Merced County, California, April 6th 2002. On a vertical shaded N-facing semi-overhanging rock face above a stream in otherwise open country; near Adiantum capillus-veneris. Scanned slide 044-721

Tiny mosses are always a kind of hard for me to identify - many of them are pretty similar and I'm not really willing to spend hours examining cells structure to find out, which species I'm dealing with. But in this case, it was quite easy because of distinctive capsules.You can figure out how small is it keeping in mind that "boulders" in this photo are grains of sand on a surface of concrete block.