Rhynchostegium tenuifolium Reichardt 1870

Rhynchostegium tenuifolium

Rhynchostegium tenuifolium (Hedw.) Reichdt., Reise Oest. Freg. Novara Bot. 1 (3):191, 1870.

Hypnum tenuifolium Hedw., Sp. Musc. 283, 1801. [Original material: Insulae Australes, coll. Banks?]

Hypnum collatum Hook. f. & Wils., Fl. Tasm. 2:209, 1859. [Original material: Tasmania, coll. Gunn.]

Rather slender plants with creeping stems to 8 cm long, spreading to erect branches 1.0–1.5 cm long, prostrate or spreading axes with leaves usually compressed, spreading, erect branches often with erect-spreading leaves. Leaves usually 1.0–2.5 mm long, 0.5–1.4 mm wide, stem leaves sometimes longer, concave, base ovate-cordate, rather abrupt, short- to rather long-acuminate tip, tip sometimes twisted; margins slightly recurved only at extreme base, usually distinctly serrulate along distal 1/2; costae reaching slightly beyond midleaf; median cells 7–10 μm wide, mostly 80–140 μm long, linear, sometimes pellucid; cells of acumination often shorter, rhomboidal, 25–30 μm long; inner basal cells to 12 μm wide, 25 μm long; a few short-rectangular alar cells which are 10–12 μm wide, 30–45 μm long. Autoicous. Perichaetial leaves to 3.0 mm long with long, slenderly acuminate, slightly spreading, weakly serrulate tips. Setae 1.0–1.5 cm long or longer, smooth, reddish. Capsule urn ca. 2.0 mm long, curved, rather slender; spores 12–14 μm in diameter, very minutely papillose.

MAS AFUERA: Q. Casas, H. & E. 155.

The species is known from New Zealand, Tasmania, Australia, and Chile.