Hall's Bruchia Moss

The short leaves and short seta are good field characters for Bruchia hallii, but the spores must be examined to distinguish it from B. fusca.

Distal leaves ovate to very short-lanceolate, 0.7-1.3 mm, leaf base not differentiated in shape; distal laminal cells short-rectangular. Sexual condition paroicous. Seta 0.4-1.7 mm. Capsule neck short, obovate. Spores densely spinose. Calyptra smooth

Bruchia hallii Aust. Bull. Torrey Club 5 : 21. 1874 Plants 4-5 mm. high, gregarious in light-green patches; stems simple, erect, 2-3 mm. high: leaves erect-appressed, the lower short, the upper not longer than 1 mm., all ovatelanceolate, entire or serrulate, the costa ending in the acute apex; basal cells larger, very lax, the upper ones fusiform or rhomboidal, the marginal ones elongate, occasionally serrulate; perichaetial leaves broader, clasping. Paroicous: an theridia axillary in the upper leaves: seta stout, erect or curved, 1-1.5 mm. long, exserted: calyptra smooth, lobed, covering only the upper part of the capsule: capsule 1-2 mm. long, brown, pyriform, apiculate, the beak long, straight; neck shorter, stomatose: spores large, 43-48 ju in diameter, papillose, maturing in February.
Type locality: Houston, Texas.
Distribution: Texas.