Abstract Detail

Bryological and Lichenological Section/ABLS

Hastings, Roxanne [1], Harpel, Judith [2], Toren, David [3].

The North American species Grimmia brittoniae is distinct from the widespread Grimmia funalis.

Grimmia brittoniae, a rare species endemic to Montana and Idaho was described by Williams in 1900. In 2000, Munoz synonomized G. brittoniae with the widespread, G. funalis which is rare in North America. Based on a review of specimens and detailed microscopic examination, a suite of morphological characters readily separating these two species. While awns are not normally a strong character to differentiate species of Grimmia, acknowledgement of their importance should be considered when the characters are grossly different. In G. brittoniae, the awns are 4-10 x longer than the lamina and are kinked. In G. funalis the awns are relatively shorter, ranging from muticous to 10% of laminal length to rarely approaching laminal length. We have seen specimens obtained in the vicinity of the type locality of G. brittoniae and the leaves are all clearly unistratose with at most some rare bistratose streaks. By contrast G. funalis is always bistratose distally. In G. brittoniae the medial cells are quadrate, sinuose and thin-walled, but in G. funalis the cells are always extremely thick-walled but less sinuose in North American plants. While both species have thick and sinuose basal cells, they are quadrate to short rectangular in G. brittoniae whereas they are linear in G. funalis. Leaf shape is also consistently different. Grimmia brittoniae is ovate to oblong-lanceolate never with a shoulder while Grimmia funalis is ovate-lanceolate always with a shoulder. Both margins are narrowly recurved in G. brittoniae, whereas G. funalis has margins plane or recurved only on one side. The leaves are loosely appressed and at most slightly contorted in G. brittoniae; by contrast they spirally encircle the stem of G. funalis, giving the leafy stems very much the look of a rat-tail file. The flagelliform branches which are typical and definitive in G. funalis are absent in G. brittoniae. Male and female plants are virtually identical in G. brittoniae and grow intermingled, but they are sexually dimorphic in G. funalis, with muticous males growing in separate clumps.

Related Links:
Grimmia in BFNA

1 - Royal Alberta Museum, Botany, 12845-102 Avenue, Edmonton, AB, t5m 0z3, Canada
2 - University of British Columbia, Botany, Vancouver, BC, Canada
3 - California Academy of Sciences, Botany, San Francisco, CA, USA

Keywords:
Grimmia
Montana
Idaho
taxonomy.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 2
Location: Firs North/Boise Centre
Date: Monday, July 28th, 2014
Time: 10:15 AM
Number: 2009
Abstract ID:119
Candidate for Awards:None