Orthotrichum affine

Maier, Eva & Price, Michelle J., 2014, Georg Bojung “ Scato ” Lantzius-Beninga and his contributions on the anatomy of moss capsules: a transliteration from the original German texts, Boissiera 67, pp. 1-79 : 38-39

Orthotrichum affine (pumilum).

Immediately below the exterior membrane, or separated by a simple cell layer, is a layer of sixteen peristome cells each. Their walls orientated towards the outside are partly strongly thickened, the thickenings occupied by nearly cilium-like cylindrical projections. The inner walls have thickening cords only in the corners where two peristome cells come together, the corners are mostly alternatively thickened or not. The thickening of the outer walls forms only one cord; only exceptionally is it formed by two separated cords, see Tab. LXII. Fig. 21 , in which case two neighbouring corners of the peristome cells are thickened, which is an exception in this species. – The cells of the layer tt bordering the peristome cells on the inner side have membranes that are occupied by cylindrical-warty bumps as well as the thickened outer walls of the peristome cells (but not so dense).

When the capsule deteriorates or the operculum detaches, as it is known, eight teeth of the “outer” peristome and eight cilia as the “inner” peristome, arranged alternatively, appear; the eight teeth of the outer peristome are formed by the thickenings of the outer walls of two neighbouring peristome cells, the cilia by the alternatively thickened inner corners of the peristome cells, all the remaining membrane parts (as well as the horizontal separating walls) disintergrate and disappear.

[original page 580]

The inner peristome of species of Orthotrichum is composed of sixteen cilia, all the inner thickened corners result from the adjoining peristome cells; in those that have a complete inner peristome of sixteen teeth ( Orthotrichum striatum ) the inner membranes of the peristome cells are more or less evenly thickened.

It must be noted that in most of the species of this genus the stomata are distributed across the whole surface of the outer capsule wall below the operculum, and the surrounding cells have a tassel-like prolongation that partly close the stomata.

Figures

Fig. 21. Part of a transverse section of a capsule of Orthotrichum affine (pumilum). Magnifi- cation x 700.