Eye-level Guide to the Evolving Genera of Orthotrichaceae
The family Orthotrichaceae is very abundant and diverse in the Pacific Northwest. With mature sporophytes, the family can be recognized on account of the typically erect sporophyte (see examples of Orthotrichum pulchellum and Ulota obtusiloba) and typically hairy cap (see examples of Pulvigera papillosa and Ulota intermedia) emerging gametophytes with linear leaves (see examples for Pulvigera pringlei and Lewinskya striata). Sadly, these features are not always obvious or consistent. However, if you are encountering an epiphyte with linear leaves or loose cushions, you should consider this family. They also show up on rock and cement, especially as you move inland. Altogether, there are about 35 species of Orthotrichaceae known to occur in British Columbia. These are spread out over 8 genera (Amphidium, Lewinskya, Orthotrichum, Nyholmiella, Plenogemma, Pulvigera, Ulota and Zygodon) many of which have been resurrected over the last decade to accomodate results of comprehensive reappraisals of diversity and evolution within the family. Some of the differences are microscopic, but for the purposes of this guide, I will try and emphasize the one visible with the naked eye or a 10x hand lens.
The table below has links to examples as well as key characters for distinguishing between these genera based on habit, habitat, sporophytes, asexual reproductive bodies and leaves. It is followed by a somewhat up-to-date list of species known to occur in BC pulled from the BC Conservation Data Center.
Eye Level Comparison for Genera of Orthotrichaceae
| Genus | Habitat | Habit | Sporophytes | Asexual Propagules | Leaves | Microscopic cinchers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amphidium | Rock | Small plant growing in compact cushions and turfs | Short, ribbed when present, cap seemingly hairless | Absent | Linear, twisted when dry | Lots of tiny papillae |
| Lewinskya | On rocks and trees | Plants >1cm tall in loose tufts | Capsule typically without ribs, immersed to emergent, cap variously hairy | Absent | Long and linear, apices sharp, margins plane to revolute, various when dry | Capsules with superficial stomata, cell walls of leaves thick and undulating |
| Orthotrichum | Rocks and Trees | Forming loose cushions to small tufts | Capsules typically ribbed, cap variously hairy, sporophytes immersed to emergent | Absent | Linear, apices sharp, margins plane to recurved, variously erect-appressed to slightly twisted when dry | Antheridia and archegonia on same plants, stomata on capsule immersed<. Cell walls of leaves thin and mostly straight./td> |
| Nyholmiella | Epiphytic | Loose tufts, shoots ~1cm long | Sporophytes terminal, barely emergent, no hairs on the cap | Abundant on upper leaf surface | Linear, margins involute, tips bluntish, leaves erect-appressed when dry | Septate propagules with seperate antheridia and archegonia-bearing plants |
| Plenogemma | Coastal rock and trees | Forming loose, yellow-green cushions | Capsules rare | Abundant as brown clusters at leaf tips | Long, linear, very twisted when dry | no need-- brown asexual propagules are the key feature here |
| Pulvigera | Epiphytic, occasionally on concrete and rocks | Long (~5cm+), lanky shoots forming flaccid tufts | Hairy cap, capsules barely emerging from leaves | In one species | Long (~5mm), linear, erect and appressed in dried state | Antheridia and Archegonia on seperate plants |
| Ulota | Epiphytic | Forming loose cushions and tufts | Very hairy cap covering entire capsule on relatively long stalk (standing free from leaves) | Absent | Long and linear, very contorted and twisted when dry | No need- hairy hairy cap and twisted leaves |
| Zygodon | Mostly epiphytic, some species on Limestone and other calcareous substrates | Forming bright yellow, small, dense cushions or sparse, loose and isolated tufts | Small, hairless, standing above the leaves | Abundant in some species | opaque, yellow green and relatively broad | Papillose leaf cells with long apical cell on leaf |
Species of Orthotrichaceae in British Columbia
Amphidium californicum
Amphidium lapponicum
Amphidium mougeotii
Lewinskya affine
Lewinskya elegans
Lewinskya laevigatum
Lewinskya pylaisii
Lewinskya rupestre
Lewinskya speciosum
Lewinskya striatum
Orthotrichum alpestre
Orthotrichum anomalum
Orthotrichum consimile
Orthotrichum cupulatum
Orthotrichum diaphanum
Orthotrichum hallii
Orthotrichum pallens
Orthotrichum pellucidum
Orthotrichum pulchellum
Orthotrichum norrisii
Orthotrichum rivulare
Orthotrichum tenellum
Pulvigera lyellii (questionable if present?)
Pulvigera papillosa
Pulvigera pringlei
Plenogemma phyllantha
Nyholmiella obtusifolium
Ulota crispa
Ulota curvifolia
Ulota drummondii
Ulota intermedia
Ulota megalospora
Ulota obtusiuscula
Zygodon gracilis
Zygodon reinwardtii
Zygodon rupestris/Zygodon viridissimus (not sure where the line is here)
Comentarios
@johndreynolds better late than never?
Been waiting for this one!
Thanks for the chart and list! Much appreciated for a group that I find very difficult. I was wondering why many of the genera in the table (e.g. Pulvigera) are absent in the species list.
Cheers
Mike
Thanks for catching that @ptilidium -- I pulled the list from the BC CDC and forgot to update the synonymy. WIll fix now. Thanks for catching.
@ptilidium the list is now fixed.
Great! Thanks!
@rambryum Apologies as this is unrelated to the post, would it be possible to get in touch with you about a research project involving Calypogeia sp. ? I'd send a message but iNaturalist is only letting me reply so far. Thank you in advance!
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