Sematophyllum caespitosum

Sematophyllum caespitosum

Sematophyllum caespitosum (Hedw.) Mitt., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 12:479, 1869.

Leskea caespitosa Hedw., Sp. Musc. 233, 1801. [Original material: Hispaniola, coll. Swartz.]

Hypnum loxense Hook. in Kunth, Syn. Pl. Aequin. 1:62, 1822. [Original material: Near Loxam and Gonzanamam, Peru, 1080 hexap., coll. Humboldt & Bonpland, 1799–1804.]

Rather small to medium-sized, coarse, yellowish green, prostrate plants with stems to 4 cm long. Branches frequent, irregular, to 1 cm long, ascending. Leaves crowded, more appressed when dry, distinctly homomallous, 0.8–1.2 mm long, to 0.5 mm wide, oblong-ovate to oblong, rather concave, acute to obtusely pointed; margins entire, narrowly reflexed in basal 2/3–3/4; median cells short-rhomboidal, ca. 7 μm wide, mostly 50 μm long, a few to 70 μm long, upper cells mostly 40 μm long, apical cells mostly 25 μm long; basal cells yellowish; alar cells yellowish brown, usually with row of 3–4 inflated, rectangular cells, largest 25 μm wide and 50 μm long; a few supraalar cells quadrate to oblique, to 25 μm long. Autoicous. Perichaetial leaves to ca. 1.5 mm long, elliptical with short-acute tip; margins recurved, entire or very slightly crenulate. Setae 5–12 mm long, red, smooth. Capsule suberect, urn 1.0–1.3 mm long; spores 12–15 μm in diameter.

The species is known from Florida, Mexico, the West Indies, and Central and South America. It was reported by Brotherus from both Mas Afuera and Mas a Tierra, but two specimens determined by Brotherus, including all known records from Mas Afuera, prove to be S. brachycladulum. One specimen has not been seen but it is probable that all records are erroneous.