Tortula ruralis

Roof - rotation -moss ( Syntrichia ruralis )

The roof - rotation -moss ( Syntrichia ruralis ) is a cosmopolitan species of mosses, characterized by its serrated glass hairs on the leaves. It is a xerophytisches moss, which has a high resistance to desiccation and high temperatures. It is capable of up to 14 years to remain viable in the air- dried state.

Dissemination

That in all climate zones outside the tropics quite common moss grows mostly in pronounced cushion or pillow shape, but also makes grass. It grows both in the plains and penetrates to the subalpine zone of the mountains before. Of course it depends primarily on rock and earth before, also settled, walls, concrete and roofs. Rare is it to find even on dead wood or bark.

Features

The roof - rotation -moss forms from stems that can be up to 8 cm high. Normally, this only reached a height of about 2 to 4 cm. They form a loose lawn. The leaves are heaped schopfig top of the stems. In the wet state they are sparrig curved back in the dry state, however, they appear to be bent or rotated. The oblong leaves are relatively broad and rounded upper side have at the head of a spiny toothed, translucent ( hyaline ) glass hair on, which emerges from the pointed leaf. The leaves are rolled back a bit on the edge almost to the top. The lamina cells appear at the base of the leaf bright and are rectangular in shape. In the upper half of the sheet, however, they are rounded six sided shape and are clearly papillose. The eilängliche capsule is slightly curved and has twice left spiral peristome. The capsule stalk ( the seta ) is colored red.

Synonyms

• Tortula intermedia ( Bridel ) De Notari
• Tortula ruraliformis ( Besch ) Ingham
• Barbula ruralis Hedw.
• Syntrichia intermedia Brid.