Aloina Moss

The undifferentiated marginal cells of the leaf base and the large abaxial solid papillae near the leaf tip distinguish Aloina hamulus from A. rigida, which, in addition, has a strongly twisted and longer peristome. The ovoid-cylindric capsule and abaxially papillose leaves distinguish this species from A. aloides var. ambigua. Young leaves should be checked when papillae are not evident in mature leaves.

Plants to 6 mm. Leaves lingulate, 0.6-2 mm, margins entire to irregularly crenulate, undifferen-tiated at base, apex cucullate; costa subpercurrent to percurrent, filaments of 3-7 cells, cells cylindric to subspheric; cells of leaf base 13-59 µm, medial and distal cells 9-26 µm, large solid papillae on abaxial surface distally. Sexual condition dioicous. Seta 7-16 mm. Capsule urn ovoid-cylindric, 1.1-3 mm; operculum conical to long rostrate, erect or inclined, 0.5-1.2 mm; peristome to 900 µm, twisted to nearly straight. Spores 9-13 µm.

Barbula hamulus Müller Hal., Bull. Herb. Boissier 5: 192. 1897