Encalypta crispata Hedw.

Price, Michelle J., 2018, Two hundred years in the dark: A type for the moss Encalypta crispata, Candollea 73 (2), pp. 249-255 : 252-254

Encalypta crispata Hedw. in Sp. Musc. Frond. 61: tab. 10. 1801.

≡ Ptychomitrium crispatum (Hedw.) A. Jaeger, Gen. Sp. Musc. 1: 381. 1874.

≡ Glyphomitrium crispatum (Hedw.) Brid. in Muscol. Recent Suppl. 4: 30. 1818.

≡ Orthotrichum crispatum (Hedw.) Hook. & Grev. in Edinburgh J. Sci. 1: 115. 1824.

≡ Brachypodium crispatum (Hedw.) Brid. in Bryol. Univer. 1: 147, 717. 1826.

≡ Grimmia crispata (Hedw.) Spreng. in Syst. Veg. 4(1): 155. 1827.

≡ Brachysteleum crispatum (Hedw.) Hornsch. in Fl. Bras. 1(2): 20. 1840.

≡ Notarisia crispata (Hedw.) Mont. in Hist. Nat. Îles Canaries 3(3): 41. 1849.

Type: “Caput bonae spei. Thunberg.”

Holotypus: SOUTH AFRICA: Cape of Good Hope, s.d., Thunberg s.n. ( G [ G00048628 ]!; isotype: UPS [ B-039370 image seen]) .

Plants small to medium-sized, stems 1 –2 cm long, occasionally branched above, caespitose, dark green, brownish below. Leaves crispate-incurved dry, with the costa visible and yellow-green on the dorsal side, wide-spreading to slightly reflexed wet, leaves rounded below to weakly keeled above (seen in cross-section); linear-lanceolate (often narrowly so) from a short-oblong to elliptical, weakly sheathing base, (2.0 –)3.0 – 5.0 mm long; apex acute to subcucullate; leaf margins entire. Lamina bistratose, cells smooth throughout, basal cells rectangular to rhomboidal, yellowish, thin-walled, mid- to upper laminal cells rounded-quadrate, somewhat irregular, 5 – 8 µm diameter, incrassate. Costa percurrent, narrow, in section prominent dorsally (half-moon shaped on dorsal side); epidermal cells rectangular to rounded, dorsal epidermal cells smooth, ventral epidermal cells smooth to mammillose, in mid-leaf with central row of 6–7 small, incrassate guide cells between ventral and dorsal bands of stereids, ventral stereid band with 2 or 3 cell layers, dorsal stereid band with 3–6 cell layers. Perichaetial leaves undifferentiated. Seta, single, 4 – 8 mm long, yellowish. Capsule short-cylindrical-ovoid, 1.5–2.0 mm long, yellow-brown, mouth red. Peristome with 16 narrowly triangular, filiform teeth, perforated, reddish-yellow, densely papillose on inner and outer sides. Operculum rostrate, to 1 mm long. Calyptra mitrate, plicate.

Notes. – Ptychomitrium crispatum is a predominately saxicolous species that grows in cushions or dense tufts on various different rock types in grasslands or shrublands, up to an altitude of c. 2000 m (see species description and information in MAGILL & VAN ROOY, 1998: 474). It is characterized by its linear-lanceolate, acuminate leaves that are spreading to reflexed when wet and crispate-incurved when dry (reminiscent of the forms seen in Tortella (Müll. Hal.) Limpr. or Holomitrium Brid. ). One feature of this species that can easily be seen in dry specimens is the prominent costa that is yellowgreen and paler than the surrounding lamina. This species, one of the most widespread members of the genus in South Africa ( MAGILL & VAN ROOY, 1998), can be separated from the close Ptychomitrium subcrispatum Thér. & P. de la Varde by its bistratose lamina and margins (in P. subcrispatum the leaf margins are bistratose and the lamina is unistratose, or occasionally bistratose in patches). MAGILL & VAN ROOY (1998) mention similarities between P. crispatum and P. cucullatifolium (Müll. Hal.) A. Jaeger , and certain difficulties encountered when naming intermediate specimens, but maintained the latter taxon at the rank of species, indicating that lowland plants from the southern Drakensbserg under this name possess the typical cucullate leaves and incrassate leaf cells. The rediscovery of the type of P. crispatum in G will facilitate future taxonomic investigations of the South African species of Ptychomitrium .

Ptychomitrium crispatum is known from Africa ( Lesotho, Madagascar, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe: CROSBY et al., 1983; SIM, 1926; MAGILL & VAN ROOY, 1998; O'SHEA, 2006). Material in G from the Canary Islands, originating from the E. Bourgeau Plantae Canarienses exsiccatae (no. 1141, G00048713, G00048714), that was filed under P. crispatum was identified by the present author as being P. nigescens (Kunze) Wijk & Margad. CAO et al. (2003) report P. crispatum from Index Muscorum geographical units “Am6” and “Am5” (see WIJK et al., 1959), likely based on information given in the earlier work of MAGILL & VAN ROOY (1998) who mention that P. crispatum is known from southern South America and the Juan Fernandez Islands. The previous reports of P. crispatum from South America and Antarctica appear to be erroneous, possibly based on the accepted name P. fernandesianum (Mitt.) A. Jaeger having been considered as a potential synonym of P. crispatum , although this synonymy has not been stated directly in the literature. Ptychomitrium crispatum is not listed in the checklists for Chile ( HE, 1998; MULLER, 2009) or Argentina (MATTERI, 2003), nor is it present in ROBINSON’S (1975) treatment of the mosses of the Juan Fernandez Islands (where only P. fernandesianum is listed). Ptychomitrium crispatum may thus be a true African endemic (O’SHEA, 1999, 2006).

Selected specimens examined. – SOUTH AFRICA. Cape Prov.: Hermanus Distr. Mossel River, 29.IX.1953, Garside 6630 ( BOL [ BOL171333 ]); Cape Town , “Exsiccate no. 141, Prom. B. Sp.”, 1875 –77, Rehmann s.n. ( G [ G00048651 ]) . Eastern Cape Prov.: Addo Elephant Park area, Zuurberg , 19.III.2005, Hedderson 15930 ( BOL [ BOL171334 ]) . Western Cape Prov.: Robertson Area , Klaas Voogds West , Bergendal Farm, W side of Heuningberg , 16.VII.2004, Hedderson 15525 ( BOL [ BOL171335 ]); Tafelberg , s.d., Breutel s.n. ( G [G00048650 ]). KwaZulu Natal Prov.: Port Shepstone Distr ., Oribi Gorge , 5.I.2004, T.A.J. Hedderson 15473 ( BOL [ BOL171337 ]) . Limpopo Prov.: Louis Trichaerdt area , S Side of Soutpans Berg , 8.X.2004, Hedderson 15676 ( BOL [ BOL171336 ]) . TANZANIA. [Arusha Region]: Longido Hill in Maasai Distr ., above Londigo village , 1900–2000 m, 16.VI.1989, Pocs & Nsolomo 89192/G ( G [ G00048249 ]) .