William R. Buck

Thuidium sect. Abietina Schimper; Thuidium subg. Abietinella (Müller Hal.) Brotherus

Plants large. Stems erect-ascending, 1-pinnate; paraphyllia filamentous to narrowly foliose, simple or branched; axillary hairs 2-celled, cells brown. Stem leaves ovate; margins recurved at least proximally, crenulate-papillose; costa 3/4 leaf length; laminal cells rhombic to oblong-hexagonal, 1-papillose on both surfaces. Branch leaves ovate; margins plane, crenulate-papillose; acute to broadly acuminate; costa 3/4 leaf length, not covered with cells apically; laminal cells rounded-quadrate to short-rectangular, 1-papillose on both surfaces. Sexual condition dioicous; perichaetial leaves oblong-lanceolate, margins strongly serrate distally, costa subpercurrent, laminal cells porose. Seta smooth. Capsule inclined, cylindric, arcuate; annulus 2- or 3-seriate; operculum obliquely short-rostrate; endostome segments narrowly perforate, cilia 1 or 2.

Species 3 (1 in the flora): North America, Europe, Asia.

Abietinella is a genus easy to recognize in the flora area; the plants are characterized by relatively robust, stiff, more or less erect, 1-pinnate, paraphylliate stems, often golden brown, growing most often on fairly dry, mostly calcareous sands.

Lower Taxon

• Abietinella abietina (Hedwig) M. Fleischer