Seligeria cardotii is one of the two species in genus Seligeria, bryophytes of the Seligeriaceae family, in the Southern Hemisphere; an additional 19 species have been described in the Northern Hemisphere.[1]

Seligeria cardotii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Bryophyta
Class: Bryopsida
Subclass: Dicranidae
Order: Grimmiales
Family: Seligeriaceae
Genus: Seligeria
Species:
S. cardotti
Binomial name
Seligeria cardotti
R. Br. bis

Appearance

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S. cardotii is an erect, light green to blue-green moss.[2] It typically does not grow longer than 3 mm. Its leaves are linear with a narrow midrib between 2–3 rows of translucent cells on either side.[1] The leaves do not sheath at the stem and have an entire to slightly crenellate sobarnis margin. Capsules are 0.4–0.5–mm long and obovate-hemispheric when moist, becoming obconic when dry. The peristome contains 16 moderately short, reddish, lanceolate teeth approximately 40–μm. Spores are 10–14–μm in diameter and green.[2]

Geographical distribution and habitat

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The type specimen of S. cardotii was described in the nineteenth century from a collection from New Zealand's South Island, where it is widespread on moist calcareous soils. It has also been recorded in Australia from a single population in Tasmania.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Dalton, P (1998). "Seligeria cardati R.Br., a new moss record for Tasmania". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 132: 41–45. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1995.10412952.
  2. ^ a b c Vitt, D.H. and Bartlett, J.K., 1983. The genus Seligeria in New Zealand. Bryologist, pp.106-113.