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Tuesday 19 January 2016

What is it?

I always seem to start these queries by saying 'I'm sure this is something obvious, but I can't work out what it is'. This one is no exception.

Collected from near the Bazzania site at Taffs Well, it was growing in woodland but I can't now remember whether it was directly on the woodland floor or on a log.

It has the general look of Rhynchostegium confertum but the leaves appear nerveless and the setae look too long for that species. The basal cells are reddish though the stems are green. I have a feeling I've seen this before but I'd not managed to key it out satisfactorily.

 

Thanks for any suggestions.
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4 comments:

  1. Barry Stewart20 January 2016 at 06:48

    Looks like Sematophyllum substrumulosum?

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  2. GMT20 January 2016 at 09:19

    A nice suggestion - I do hope you're right! Will await Sam's opinion with interest.

    I should also have said...no enlarged alar cells at basal angles, and leaves not complanate.

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  3. GMT20 January 2016 at 11:41

    Smith suggests substrumulosum should have at least some enlarged alar cells. Perhaps I need to check some more leaves microscopically.

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  4. sambbryo21 January 2016 at 22:30

    Might it be Plagiothecium curvifolium? The lack of alar cells and down curved leaves fit, and the long setae sounds wrong for Sem substrum.

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