Philonotis rigida

Philonotis rigida Brid., Bryologia Universa, II: 17. 1827
Type: In Calabriae humidis caespitosa habitat. Leg. Reynier (B; holotype designated by Raeymaekers 1983; not seen) Synonyms: P. schliepackei Röll, Hedwigia 41: 216. 1902. Holotype: Ungarn, an Kalkfelsen im Walde an der Schwitzhöhle bei Herkulesbad, ca. 400 m, (WBM, not seen; syntypes: 4.7.1900 leg. D. Röll BP 83054!, BP 43730!)

Description:
Plants small, up to 2 cm long, densely tufted. Stems 0,4-0,7 mm broad, often producing flagells with narrow base (type 'Pohlia tundrae'). Leaves rigid, erect to erecto-patent; up to 1,5 mm long; narrowly triangular-lanceolate, flat; leaf margin plane or narrowly recurved, serrate with simple teeth. Costa shortly to longly excurrent. Lower leaf cells longly rectangular, 28-56(70) × 8-10 um, slightly narrower towards apex; with distal papillae in ventral leaf surface of upper cells and projecting proximal cell end in lower leaf cells. Alar cells not or weakly differentiated, shortly rectangular.

Monoicous, perichaetia gemmiform. Perichaetial leaves lanceolate, acuminate, with excurrent costa. Seta straight. Capsules inclined, furrowed when dry. Peristome double; exostome teeth papillose, without interlamellary thickenings. Spores 24-30 um.

Ecology:
On rocks, sandy or loamy banks; prefers siliceous substrata but occasionally on calcareous ground (Raeymaekers 1983).

Distribution:
Europe: in lowland to lower mountain regions in Western Europe and Mediterranean area; mapped by Raeymaekers 1983, newly for Sweden [1930 leg. C. Hjärne (PR, S)]. World range: Europe; Asia: Lebanon; Africa: Algeria.

Variation:
Only little variation in size and density of leaves.

Possible confusions:
P. marchica (see note under that species).

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