Diphyscium foliosum

Habitat

 

Diphyscium foliosum can be found in Eastern North America and along the Pacific Coast from Alaska to Southwestern British Columbia.

 

 

 


Gametophyte

Overall Structure:

 

 

Diphyscium foliosum has an acrocarpous growth form, with a small gametophytic generation.

 

 

 

 

Leaf Structure:

 

Vegetative leaves are small, strap-shaped, and do not contain chlorophyll.  A cross-section reveals vegetative leaves are pappillose and bistratose.

 

 

Male Gametophyte:

 

 

 

The male gametophytes bear perigonial leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

Antheridial sacs are embedded within the perigonial leaves.

 

 

 

 

Female Gametophyte:

 

Perichaetial leaves are larger and longer than vegetative leaves. When the sporophytic generation is present, it is embedded and surrounded by the perichaetial leaves.

The sporangium in this photo still bears the operculum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perichaetial leaves have a multistratose brown costa that extends past the lamina forming an awn. The lamina is unistratose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The apex of the lamina is jagged where the awn emerges.

 

 

 

 

 


Sporophyte

Sporangium:

 

 

The sporangium is tapering and cone-like, with a cone-shaped operculum (not seen in this photo). Peristome teeth are white, twisted, cone-shaped.

 

 

 

 

This a prepared slide of the calyptra from Diphyscium foliosum.