Gray serrated hat

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Gray serrated hat
Niphotrichum canescens

Niphotrichum canescens

Systematics
Class : Bryopsida
Subclass : Dicranidae
Order : Grim
Family : Grimmiaceae
Genre : Niphotrichum
Type : Gray serrated hat
Scientific name
Niphotrichum canescens
( Hedw. ) Bednarek-Ochyra & Ochyra

The gray serrated cap ( Niphotrichum canescens , syn .: Racomitrium canescens ) got its name because of the heavily slashed capsule hood and the long glass hairs. The deciduous moss is of particular ecological importance, as it serves as a water reservoir and erosion inhibitor in dry, nutrient-poor and gravelly locations. It can absorb dew and moisture through its glass hair. It also functions as a habitat for many small animals.

Identifying features

The upright, sparsely and irregularly branched, gray-green to lively green plants, up to 6 cm long, form extensive stands under good conditions. The oval-pointed to eilanzettlichen leaves are relatively quickly narrowed into a sharp point. When dry, they are tight, but when wet they stand out. In the upper part the leaves are only weakly keeled. The clearly papillary lamina cells are short rectangular to sub-square. They are about 10 to 17 µm long and 7 to 11 µm wide. The cell wall in between is characteristically indented or knotty. The leaf wing cells located on the leaf base in 3 to 5 rows are inflated rounded. Above that there are rectangular elongated cells that are not bulged. The leaf vein reaches half of the leaf and is often forked in the upper area or reaches 3/4 of the leaf length. The upright glass hair, which breaks off easily, is heavily papillary on all sides . The leaf margins are often rolled up to the tip. The smooth, reddish-yellow colored Seta has elongated, slightly striped capsules that develop spores about 10 µm in size, which are formed during the winter months. However, in the last few decades the development of sporogons has decreased significantly. There is a risk of confusion with Niphotrichum elongatum , which, however, has a longer, non-branching midrib, forms longer, dry, characteristic curved glass hairs and is often brownish in color on the base.

Niphotrichum canescens moistened
Niphotrichum canescens : papillary glass hair
Niphotrichum canescens : characteristic cell walls that are thickened like barbed wire

Occurrence

Niphotrichum canescens inhabits light, sunny, nutrient-poor, lime and base-rich, dry locations. It occurs preferentially on rock rubble, on bare rock, on sand or on gravel. Typical accompanying mosses are Hypnum cupressiforme , Polytrichum piliferum or Pogonatum urnigerum . Its populations are mainly threatened by overfertilization and the destruction of natural debris fields. The increasing air pollution is also causing problems for the moss. In some federal states it is on the red list . In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania it is classified as endangered. It is common all over Europe to Northwest Asia and North America.

use

In a nationwide unique test, the city of Stuttgart wants to test the effect of moss in combating fine dust . In March 2017, an approximately three-meter-high wall was hung with moss mats near a busy intersection.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Mooswand at the Neckartor in Stuttgart stands. March 8, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2017 .

Web links

Commons : Gray serrated cap ( Niphotrichum canescens )  - album with pictures, videos and audio files