Biology:Hypnum
| Hypnum | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Bryophyta |
| Class: | Bryopsida |
| Subclass: | Bryidae |
| Order: | Hypnales |
| Family: | Hypnaceae |
| Genus: | Hypnum Hedw. |
Hypnum is a genus of mosses belonging to the family Hypnaceae.[1]
The genus has cosmopolitan distribution.[1] A common name sometimes used for Hypnum moss is "carpet moss".[2]
Distribution
Hypnum species are found on all continents except for Antarctica.[3] Species are typically found in temperate regions.[3]
Habitat
Hypnum species are typically found in moist forest areas on rotting logs, while some species are aquatic.[2][4] Species can also be found living on soil, rocks, and live trees.[4]
Identification
Identifying moss species in the field to the genus Hypnum by using a hand lens is considered quite feasible since most Hypnum species share common features with one another.[3] A very useful defining characteristic of Hypnum mosses are their leaves which are often falcate-secund (meaning that they are sickle-shaped and point to one side of the plant).[3] Another distinguishing characteristic of Hypnum mosses is the thick, green mats that they form, which earns them the common name "carpet moss".[2] Distinguishing between different Hypnum species can be accomplished mainly by gametophytic features and sometimes by sporophytic features.[3]
Description
Gametophyte characteristics
General form
Gametophytes range from small to large in size.[3] Gametophytes are green, yellowish, or brown in colour, with the colouration appearing dull or glossy.[3] Gametophytes can sometimes form tufts.[3] Growth forms of Hypnum mosses vary from creeping to erect.[5]
Stem and branching patterns
Stems have pseudoparaphyllia.[3] Branching patterns include nearly unbranched, irregularly branched, or 1- or 2- times pinnate.[5][3]
Leaves
Branch leaves and stem leaves have similar shapes.[5] Leaves are secund or falcate-secund, broadly to narrowly ovate, and can be plicate.[3] Leaf bases can sometimes be decurrent.[3] Sometimes leaf margins are toothed on the distal region.[3] Leaf margins can be recurved proximally and are usually flat (i.e., not recurved) at the distal edge.[3] Leaf margins can sometimes be sinuate at the proximal region.[3] Leaf apices are either acute or acuminate.[3]
Despite having similar shapes, branch leaves are smaller than stem leaves.[5]
Leaves have a double costa or an obscure costa that spans 1/4 of the leaf's length.[3] Laminal cells are exclusively smooth.[3] Alar cells in the leaf bases are typically differentiated and range in shape from hexagonal, triangular, quadrate, or sub-quadrate.[3]
The outer perichaetial leaves are bent while the inner perichaetial leaves are erect.[3] In terms of shape, perichaetial leaves can be ovate, lanceolate, or subulate.[3] Apices of perichaetial leaves are acuminate.[3]
Calyptra
Calyptra are exclusively naked and have no hair.[3]
Sporophyte characteristics
Seta
Setae are long and range in colour from yellowish to reddish.[5][3]
Sporangium
Orientation of the sporangium can be erect, inclined, or horizontal.[5][3] Sporangium shape varies from cylindrical to ovoid.[5] The sporangium is also typically curved.[3] There tends to be a contraction below the sporangium opening.[3] All species have two rows of peristome teeth.[3] The outer surface of exostome teeth have zigzag lines as well as lamellae.[3] The annulus is either 1-3- times seriate or has very minimal amounts of cell differentiation.[3] The operculum is conical to round in shape.[3]
Spores produced by the sporangium are round and can be smooth or papillose in texture.[3]
Reproduction
In terms of sexual reproduction, Hypnum mosses are autoicous, dioicous, or phyllodioicous.[3] Hypnum mosses do not have any specialized forms of asexual reproduction.[3]
Human use
Historically, Hypnum mosses were used to stuff bedding because they were falsely believed to have sleep-inducing properties.[2][3]
Hypnum curvifolium, commonly known as "sheet moss", is used by some florists.[6]
The CityTree air filter, present in many European cities, uses Hypnum to capture and consume pollutants.[7]
Species
The number of species in the genus is unresolved. Depending on the source, the number of species ranges from around 50 to 220,[3][5] or (according to GBIF) up to 773.[8]
Some of the species in the genus are:
- Hypnum acanthoneuron Schwägr.[1]
- Hypnum acanthophyllum Mont.[1]
- Hypnum circinale Hook.[9]
- Hypnum crispifolium Hook.[9]
- Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw.[9]
- Hypnum curvifolium Hedw.[10]
- Hypnum involuta (Hedw.) P.Beauv.[11]
Former species
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Hypnum Hedw." (in en). https://www.gbif.org/species/2673041.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "carpet moss | Description & Facts | Britannica" (in en). https://www.britannica.com/plant/carpet-moss.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 3.31 3.32 3.33 3.34 3.35 "Hypnum in Flora of North America @ efloras.org". http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=116204.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Hypnum moss (Hypnum cuppressiforme) – life4oakforests.eu" (in en-US). http://www.life4oakforests.eu/hypnum-cuppressiforme/.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Allaby, Michael (2013-04-18), "Hypnum" (in en), A Dictionary of Plant Sciences (Oxford University Press), doi:10.1093/acref/9780199600571.001.0001/acref-9780199600571-e-3413, ISBN 978-0-19-960057-1, https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199600571.001.0001/acref-9780199600571-e-3413, retrieved 2022-04-07
- ↑ "sheet moss | Description & Facts | Britannica" (in en). https://www.britannica.com/plant/sheet-moss.
- ↑ O'Donoghue, J. J.; O'Byrne, Ellie (2021-08-11). "Everything you wanted to know about Cork's new Robo-trees but were afraid to ask". https://tripeanddrisheen.substack.com/p/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about.
- ↑ "Hypnum Hedw." (in en). https://www.gbif.org/species/2673041.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Hypnum Hedw." (in en). https://www.gbif.org/species/2673041.
- ↑ "Hypnum Hedw." (in en). https://www.gbif.org/species/2673041.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Cao, Wei; Xiong, Yuanxin; Zhao, Degang; Tan, Hongying; Qu, Jiaojiao (January 2020). "Bryophytes and the symbiotic microorganisms, the pioneers of vegetation restoration in karst rocky desertification areas in southwestern China". Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 104 (2): 873-891. doi:10.1007/s00253-019-10235-0.
- ↑ "Hypnum leptothallum (Müll.Hal.) Paris" (in en). https://www.gbif.org/species/7616753.
Wikidata ☰ Q141353 entry
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