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acaulon moss
Scientific Name: Acaulon triquetrum
Family: Pottiaceae
Category: Moss
Growth: Nonvascular
Duration:
Other Names:
Acaulon muticum
Also known as Rounded Pygmy-moss or simply acaulon moss, Acaulon muticum is a small, often overlooked moss.
Considerations for Pets
- The plant is small (1-2 mm tall) and could potentially be ingested by small pets.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Acaulon muticum (Brid.) Muell.Hal.
- Common Names: Rounded Pygmy-moss, acaulon moss
- Family: Pottiaceae
- Rank: Species
- Synonyms:
- Tortula acaulon
- Phascum cuspidatum
- Varieties: Acaulon muticum var. rufescens (A. Jaeger) H.A. Crum
- Other Species:
- Acaulon triquetrum (Spruce) C. Mll. Hal.
- Acaulon schimperianum (Sull.) Sull.
- Acaulon eremicola
- Acaulon integrifolium
- Acaulon mediterraneum
Distribution and Habitat
- Acaulon eremicola has been described from arid central Australia.
- Acaulon schimperianum was formerly known only from North America but has since been reported in China (East Asia).
Morphological Characteristics
- Plants often appear brown and are quite small, typically 1-2 mm tall.
- They appear to consist of a few concave upper leaves.
- Tortula acaulon, a synonym, has 3 mm leaves and forms green patches.
- The median cells of the leaves in two species are elongate hexagonal and smooth, making placement in Pottiaceae difficult.
Ecological Role
- Models suggest that species abundance differs among soil and human footprint types in grassland and parkland regions.