Temnoma palmatum (Pearson) R.M.Schust.
Blepharostoma palmatum Lindb. ex Pearson, J. Bot. 25: 193. pl. 275. 1887.
Temnoma palmatum (Lindb. ex Pearson) R.M.Schust., Bryologist 62: 240. 1959.
Type: New Zealand, South Is., Otago, “inter Hypnum rutabulum,” 1863, Hector 13 (herb. Lindberg); Australia, New South Wales, Cambewarra, near Moss Vale, Harris.
Plants delicate, often rather lax and flaccid, erect to depressed-caespitose, bright green to somewhat pale yellowish brown, the shoots small, 0.6–1.5 mm wide. Branches rather sparse, variable, usually of Frullania type, less often of Acromastigum type, occasionally ventral-intercalary. Leaves suberect to rather spreading, distant to at most contiguous, sometimes weakly imbricate above, the insertion succubous, but mostly appearing nearly transversely oriented, the leaves subamplexicaul, obtrapezoidal in outline, narrow at the base, equally palmately quadrifid to (0.5) 0.55–0.65(0.75), without development of accessory basal lobes. Lobes lanceolate-acuminate, (3)5–9 cells wide at base 9–12(14) cells wide in aquatic phases, tapering gradually, each terminating in a uniseriate row of (2)3–6(8) cells, the uniseriate row variable: 85–200 to 490–655 µm long; cells of uniseriate row differentiated, usually 36–56(70) × 14–21 µm (ca. 2.5–3.5:1, rarely 4–5:1), except for the terminal, shorter, tapering cells; lobes of sterile shoots often eciliate; lateral lobes at base and/or upper margins of disc, at least on ♀ plants, with (0)1(3) additional, shorter, tapering teeth (1)2–3(4) cells long, the teeth usually lying in the plane of the leaf and not reflexed (except on ♀ plants). Disc often slightly concave, (5)6–12 cells high. Cells relatively pellucid, firm, generally somewhat thick-walled, those in disc middle 16–27(32) × (28)45–60(72) µm; surface delicately to strongly striate-papillose, even on the cilia (except in aquatic phases). Oil-bodies colorless, usually 2–4(5) per cell, up to (leptodermous phenotypes) 6–10(11) per cell, faintly granulate, smooth externally, spherical to irregularly ovoid, ca. 4.5–6.5 × 4.5–9 µm. Underleaves similar to leaves but smaller, often more deeply quadrifid, and with narrower lobes.
♂ Plants more slender. Androecia becoming intercalary; bracts smaller than the leaves, erect, clasping the stem, the disc ventricose, obtrapezoidal, quadrifid to the middle; lobes erect-spreading, subulate-lanceolate, entire or 1–2-dentate, ending in cilia 2–4 cells long. Gynoecia with bracts polymorphic, often somewhat similar to the upper leaves, moderately larger, cuneate to obtrapezoidal to subquadrate, quadrifid to 0.2–0.35 to 0.5–0.65, the narrowly lanceolate lobes with (1)2–4(6) pairs of ± opposed sharp, slenderly spinose teeth or cilia, those of the lobe bases usually ± reflexed. Bracteole almost identical to bracts in shape and size. Perianth (xeromorphic forms) rather short, at maturity distinctly, often long-stipitate, ovoid to obconical to short-tubular, slightly and irregularly crispate and plicate in the distal 0.2–0.25, at times obtusely and obscurely trigonous above, the mouth ± wide, subtruncate, irregularly lobulate and laciniate-ciliate; hygric forms with perianth prismatic, long, not stipitate; mouth with teeth relatively few and often distant, to 20–30, similar to the teeth of the leaves: variable, irregular in size and orientation, usually formed of 2–5 superposed cells (which may arise directly from small lobes).
Seta varying according to the vigor of the plants (within one clone): in weak plants with only 13–15 rows of outer cells that are considerably larger in diameter than the 12–13 rows of internal cells; larger plants the seta with 16–18 rows of outer cells that average only slightly larger than the ca. 22 rows of internal cells. Capsule short-ellipsoidal, the wall 3–4 stratose, 26–29 µm thick; outer layer of cells colorless and hyaline, very large, 13–15 µm high; intermediate strata with well-defined, strong, nodular thickenings; innermost layer of cells very irregular, the walls with ± sharply defined nodular thickenings (of all longer walls, both longitudinal and transverse), which are often tangentially extended to varying degrees (but are only locally and often sporadically complete forming semiannular bands).
Spores 9.4–11.2 µm in diam., yellow-brown, feebly punctate-granulate. Elaters strongly contorted, with curved to hooked, narrowed apices, 6.5–7.2 µm wide, bispiral (exceptional elaters unispiral), the spirals closely twisted, ca. 2.5 µm wide.
