Philonotis capillaris

Philonotis capillaris Lindb., Bryologia Silesiaca: 242. 1869.
Lectotype: Dänmark, Mellom Bjornsholm og Lindgard i vejgröft, skjult under lyng og pors, i skygge. Logstor [...beside the road, under Caluna and Myrica gale], 5/1863 leg. Jensen sub Bartramia, det. Lindberg sub P. capillaris Lindb. n.sp. - lectotype selected by Raeymaekers (unpublished), H-SOL!.

Synonyms:
P. arnellii Husn., Muscologia Gallica, p. 268, table 74. 1890. Type: Pyrenées, leg. Arnell (type not seen)
P. ryanii H. Philib., Revue Bryologique 21: 8. 1894, Type: Norway, Skaare, Onsö, 10.10.1893 leg. M. Ryan (type not seen, topotypes: leg. Ryan, 6/1894-BP 43971! and 2.6.1894-BP 43970!)
P. media Bryhn, Kongelige Norske Videnskobers Selskals Skrift 3: 39. 1899, Type: In paroecia boreali Bygland ad murum viae terra obtectum prope praedium Froisnas, ubi die 24.7.1894 plantam primum legi, ed ad declivia viae publicae arenacea prope praedium Ose, 250 m. (Fróisnas, 24.7.1894 leg. N. Bryhn, BP 43968! and BP 72577!)

Description:
Plants small and slender, erect to procumbent, in loose tufts or scattered among Pohlia sp., Bryum sp., small Fissidens sp. Stems usually unbranched or irregularly branched, up to 1-2 cm long, with sparse tomentum. Occasionally forms deciduous branches. Leaves less than 1,2 mm long; flat; ovate lanceolate; margin plane to narrowly recurved, entire in lower part of leaves, with simple, usually blunt teeth in upper part. Costa thin, shortly to longly excurrent. Lower leaf cells rectangular, of variable size, 15-35(43) × 6-12 um, not thin-walled, in upper part 18-27 × 6-8 um. Distal papillae apparent along margins and in apex of all leaves, proximal papillae or in other variable positions observable in lamina of best developed leaves.

Dioicous, perichaetia discoid. Perichaetial leaves narrowly triangular, acuminate, with percurrent costa. Seta straight. Capsules inclined, furrowed when dry. Peristome double, exostome with interlamellary thickenings; spores 17-28 um.

Ecology:
On moist soil on arable fields, in ditches, road banks or rock legdes, in lower altitude. More frequent in suboceanic Europe. Probably an easily overlooked species, affected by intensive agricultural activities.

Distribution:
Europe; Asia: SW; North Africa; North America, Greenland.

Variation:
In papillae conspicuousness and position; margin recurvature; length of excurrent costa.

Possible confusions:
Species of Pohlia, Bryum (different cell shape).
Juvenile and poorly developed forms and innovations of P. fontana a P. caespitosa (for leaf shapes see plates, cells often with thin walls, lumen is not rounded).
Search for the best developed stems or leaves from previous season, collect samples in various parts of season.

Exssicates:
Rabenhorst-Bryotheca Europaea No. 1115 [DUKE, Z];
Bauer-Musci Europaei Exsiccati No. 458 sub P. arnellii [PRC, ZH].

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