Philonotis tomentella

Philonotis tomentella Mol., in Lorentz, Moosstudien 170. 1864.
Type: P. kayseri Mol. in schedis 1862. Hab. In declivibus humidis convallis glacialis Täuschnitz prope Kals 7400-8000' 10/1862. (isotype M!)

Synonyms:
P. alpicola JUR. ex LIMPR., Die Laubmoose Deutschlands, Oesterreichs und der Schweiz 2: 573. 1893 (type not seen)
P. fontana var. pumila (TURNER) BRID., Bryologia Universa 2: 20. 1827. Basionym: Bartramia fontana var. pumila TURNER, Muscologiae Hibernicae Spicilegium 107. 10 f. 1. 1804 (type not seen)
P. anceps BRYHN, Botaniska Notiser 1899: 253. 1899. Type: in paroecia Balestrand Norvegiae occ. Ad rupes declives humidas prope stationem Balholmen haud procul a sinu maris Sognefjorden, 50 m, 8.8.1899 (isotype BP 43969! 'Ad rupes humidas prope Balholmen, provincia Sogn., 61°15'N, 24°10'E, 8/1899 leg. N. Bryhn')

Description:
Plants in dense tufts, medium-sized. Stems 0,5-0,7(1) mm wide, usually densely foliated, often producing deciduous branches. Leaves straight to slightly secund, up to 1, 5 mm long, narrowly ovate-lanceolate, gradually acuminate; flat; margin narrowly recurved up to apex. Costa aristate, narrow, shortly to longly excurrent. Lower leaf cells narrow and uniform, 28-34 × 6-10(12) um, narrower towards apex.

Dioicous, perichaetia discoid. Perichaetial leaves triangular, acute to acutish. Seta straight. Capsules inclined, furrowed when dry. Peristome double, exostome with interlamellary thickenings. Spores 18-24 um.

Ecology:
On rock ledges, wet soil in montane and alpine regions; basiphylous-calciphylous tendencies. Often in drier habitats than P. fontana, although often together.

Distribution:
Europe; Asia: SW, Siberia; tropical Africa, The Canary Islands; North America, Greenland.

Variation:
In size, length of excurrent costa and amount of tomentum. Intermediate forms between P. tomentella and P. fontana frequently occur, with enlarged, slightly plicate, more abruptly narrowed leaves, and with cells of more variable size. Species status uncertain.

Possible confusions:
P. caespitosa, P. fontana (see note under those species).

Exssicates:
Brotherus-Bryotheca Fennica No. 56a [DUKE];
Husnot-Musci Galliae No. 929 [DUKE];
Rabenhorst, Bryotheca europaea No. 1116 as P. fontana forma alpina [DUKE];
Bauer-Musci Europaei Exsiccati No. 468, No. 1146, No. 1147 [all BP].

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