匍网藓

Thyridium fasciculatum (Hook. & Grev.) Mitt., J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 10: 189. 1868.

Plants robust, to 3 cm high, in low yellowish green tangles. Stems creeping; rhizoids glossy reddish brown, inconspicuous. Leaves falcate-folded when dry, spreading when wet, broadly acuminate above flaring base, 2.5–3.0 mm long, axillary hairs inconspicuous; cells of upper laminae obscure, isodiametric, densely pluripapillose abaxially, with small low papillae adaxially; leaves conspicuously bordered all around with broad band of yellowish elongate cells, border very broad at shoulders, entire proximally, sharply toothed above shoulders; cancellinae broadly truncate distally. Gemmae frequent, inconspicuous, adaxial on tip of costa. Sporophytes not seen.

Lectotype. Indonesia: Ternate, Dickson s.n (lectotype BM; isolectotypes E, FH, G, GL, NY). Syntype. Singapore: Wallich 2270 (syntypes BM, BR, GL, NY).

Chinese specimens examined: HAINAN: Le-dong Co., P.-C. Chen et al. 580 (IBSC, LAF, PE); Ling-shui Co., Reese et al. 17919 (IBSC, LAF, MO).

Habitat: rare; on tree trunks, twigs, bamboo nodes in moist forests at moderate elevations, 620–980 m; Distribution: widespread in the Palaeotropics from tropical eastern Africa through Malaysia, Australia, and Oceania.

This moss is easily distinguished from the only other Mitthyridium known from China, M. flavum, by its robust stature, broadly acuminate leaves, wide border at leaf shoulders, and large, distally truncate cancellinae.

Illustrations: Reese & P.-J. Lin 1991 (figs. 148–154).