Seligeria cardotti explained

Seligeria cardotii is one of the two species in genus Seligeria, bryophytes of the Seligeriaceae family, in the Southern Hemisphere; an additional 19 species have been described in the Northern Hemisphere.[1]

Appearance

S. cardotii is an erect, light green to blue-green moss.[2] It typically does not grow longer than 3 mm. Its leaves are linear with a narrow midrib between 2 - 3 rows of translucent cells on either side. The leaves do not sheath at the stem and have an entire to slightly crenellate sobarnis margin. Capsules are 0.4 - 0.5 - mm long and obovate-hemispheric when moist, becoming obconic when dry. The peristome contains 16 moderately short, reddish, lanceolate teeth approximately 40 - μm. Spores are 10 - 14 - μm in diameter and green.

Geographical distribution and habitat

The type specimen of S. cardotii was described in the nineteenth century from a collection from New Zealand's South Island, where it is widespread on moist calcareous soils. It has also been recorded in Australia from a single population in Tasmania.

Notes and References

  1. Dalton. P. Seligeria cardati R.Br., a new moss record for Tasmania. New Zealand Journal of Botany. 1998. 132. 41–45. 10.1080/0028825X.1995.10412952.
  2. Vitt, D.H. and Bartlett, J.K., 1983. The genus Seligeria in New Zealand. Bryologist, pp.106-113.