3.
Oncophorus wahlenbergii
Bridel, Bryol. Univ. 1: 400. 1826.
Oncophorus wahlenbergii
var.
compactus
(Bruch & Schimper) Braithwaite
Plants
soft, in small, loose tufts, light to very dark green.
Stems
1-2.5 cm.
Branch leaves
strongly crisped and curled when dry, ovate-lanceolate, abruptly subulate, entire or sometimes serrated above, 3-6 mm, subtubulose above, strongly sheathing at base, margins plane; costa mostly percurrent; laminal cells mostly 1-stratose, 2-stratose only at margins; distal laminal quadrate to short-rectangular, incrassate; basal laminal cells elongate, rectangular, incrassate, alar cells not differentiated.
Seta
(8-)10-15(-21) mm.
Capsule
pale yellow-brown, furrowed when dry, 0.8-2 mm, peristome bright red.
Spores
14-20(-30) µm.
Capsules mature late spring-early summer. Rotten logs along streams or in flooded areas, less commonly on soil, humus, rock or bark at the base of coniferous trees (e.g.,
Thuja
); Greenland; Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.W.T., N.S., Nunavut, Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon; Ala., Alaska, Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Wyo.; Europe; Asia.
A common epixylic species,
Oncophorus wahlenbergii
may be confused with the more saxicolous
O. virens
, which has keeled, revolute, non-sheathing leaves that gradually narrow to the subula. A compact, densely tufted arctic-alpine form has been treated as var.
compactus
and is often found on dry soil.
