Bucklandiella affinis (Schleich. ex Web. & Mohr) Bednarek-Ochyra & Ochyra
Synonym: Racomitrium affine (Schleich. ex Web. & Mohr) Lindb.
Special status: NONE
Recognition: In the field this is slightly darker than Bucklandiella heterosticha but otherwise very similar: a medium size racomitrium with fairly long hairpoints. The leaf margins are mostly unistratose like Bucklandiella heterosticha, but differs from that in its rather thick, nearly terete costa, mostly 3 stratose at midleaf and 3-4 stratose towards leaf base. From Bucklandiella lawtoniae it is distinguished by the slender hairpoint which is not or hardly decurrent. Bucklandiella lawtoniae has a right handed twist to its seta while Bucklandiella affinis has the left handed twist typical of the rest of genus. In the field Bucklandiella affinis could be confused with Grimmia trichophylla or Grimmia leibergii except for the twist of the seta (right handed in Grimmia) and the sinuose nodose basal cells of the leaves (sinuose only in cells of distal part of leaf in Grimmia.)
Distribution: Not common but apparently widespread in Oregon.
Comments: This species sometimes has bistratose margins in one cell row on some leaves and is reported to have forms with no or very short hairpoints. The few plants I have identified all have long hair points. I have seen an occasional section with a bistratose margin but these are scarce and clearly do not characterize the plants.
Mt. Isabelle, Jackson Co., Oregon. DHW m0474. NOTE: THUMBNAILS SHOW ONLY A PORTION OF THE LARGER IMAGE.
Mt. Isabelle, Jackson Co., Oregon. DHW m0474. Note that the section on right has abaxial indentations in the costa. This mimics the situation in Bucklandiella occidentalis, where abaxial grooves are characteristic. However, most leaf sections of Bucklandiella affine lack these grooves; this demonstrates that anatomical characters are always variable to a certain degree and more than one section should be observed before conclusions are drawn about a character trait for a particular specimen.
Mt. Isabelle, Jackson Co., Oregon. DHW m0474.
Mt. Isabelle, Jackson Co., Oregon. DHW m0474.
Irwin Rocks, Douglas Co., Oregon. DHW 7869.
Irwin Rocks, Douglas Co., Oregon. DHW 7869.
Irwin Rocks, Douglas Co., Oregon. DHW 7869.
Guide to Racomitrioideae of Oregon
Created 2007 Northwest Botanical Institute