THUIDIUM ALLENII Aust.
Allen's Fern Moss
FAMILY: Thuidiaceae
CHARACTERS: Plants
large, light-green to yellow, straggly in appearance; stems creeping,
irregularly 2-pinnate, with paraphyllia abundant on stems. Stem leaves loosely erect, almost 1 mm long,
ovate with 1-3 inconspicuous papillae on back; branch leaves concave, 0.5-0.6
mm long, strongly incurved with 1-3 low papillae on cells.
SIMILAR SPECIES: T. allenii is similar to T. delicatulum but has short-pointed
stem leaves with margins not or scarcely revolute. T. allenii has branch
cells with 1-3 low papillae whereas those of T. delicatulum are unipapillose.
The stem leaves of T. delicatulum are
biplicate while those of T. allenii
are rarely plicate.
TOTAL RANGE: Atlantic and Gulf Coast Plains extending
northward in the Mississippi Embayment; CT, OH, IN, TN, AR, FL, TX.
STATE RANGE:
Pre-1980 record from Champaign.
STATE STATUS: 1996
to present: Presumed Extirpated
HABITAT:
Soil, logs, roots and tree bases in swampy places, often at the base of
trees just above waterline.
HAZARDS:
Drainage of habitat.
RECOVERY POTENTIAL:
Known, probably poor.
INVENTORY GUIDELINES: Collect only a small sample of plants.
COMMENTS: T. allenii
does not have the fern-like appearance of either T. delicatulum or T.
recognitum. T. allenii generally occurs in moister places than either T. delicatulum or T. recognitum. T. allenii may be overlooked due its
resemblance to more common species.
Efforts were made to recollect this plant at its original locality.
SELECTED
REFERENCES:
Crum, H.A. and L.E. Anderson. 1981. Mosses of Eastern
North America. Volumes 1 & 2. Columbia University Press. NY. 1328 pp.
Reese, W.D.
1984. Mosses of the Gulf South from
Rio Grande to the Apalachicola.
Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, LA. 252 p.
Division of Natural
Areas and Preserves
Ohio Department of
Natural Resources
Created: 4/2001 Barbara K. Andreas
Database Code: SPPM.437