Ignatov, M.S. S. Huttunen, M. Li & Y.-F. Wang. How to know Myuroclada longiramea (Brachytheciaceae, Bryophyta)?

Arctoa (2015) 24: 497-502

doi: 10.15298/arctoa.24.40

Morphological variation of Myuroclada longiramea and its distribution in Russia are described. This species was for a long time confused with Bryhnia species. Being one of the most variable species of Brachytheciaceae, Myuroclada longiramea is characterized by a broad variation in leaf shape from suborbicular to ovate-lanceolate within one stem comprising heteroblastic series. Such a variation pattern is the main diagnostic character of the species, usually allowing its recognition in the field. However in some cases only a limited part of this variation is present, and such phenotypes have often been confused with other species of the Brachytheciaceae and Amblystegiaceae. Myuroclada longiramea is a common species in the Russian Far East, South Siberian mountains and has scattered localities in boreal regions of the European Russia, where it was largely neglected earlier. Outside Russia it is known in northern China and northern Japan.