Barbula convoluta var. eustegia

Specialized asexual reproduction, when present, as spheric tubers on proximal rhizoids buried in soil. Perichaetial leaves weakly differentiated, loosely sheathing, apex abruptly acute to subulate and laminal cells often quadrate and papillose in distal ¹/4.

Capsules mature late spring, summer-fall (May, Jun, Jul, Oct). Sandy banks, soil, logs, in pine woods, shores; low to high elevations (50-3100 m); B.C.; Calif., Idaho, Ill., Mont., Oreg., Tex., Utah, Wash.

Variety eustegia has the same gametophytic characteristics as the typical variety, including perigoniate buds on the soil at the base of the archegoniophores and the large rhizoid-borne tubers in the soil. Barbula sect. Convolutae in Europe has apparently differentiated into a number of distinct species and varieties, as discussed by K. G. Limpricht ([1884-]1890-1903, vol. 2) and A. Casares-Gil and A. Caballero (1919-1932, vol. 2), most of which, however, are not found in the flora area (R. H. Zander 1979). Plants in the type collection of var. eustegia are smaller than average for the species, but other collections (e.g., types of B. whitehouseae and B. chrysopoda) may have the large size of, e.g., the European var. commutata (J. Juratzka) P. T. Husnot. Large plants of any variety growing in mesic environments are more likely to have recurved leaf margins. Although W. C. Steere (1938) and H. A. Crum (1965c) have commented on the similarity of this taxon to the European B. enderesii Garovaglio (as B. flavipes Bruch & Schimper), specimens of the latter I have seen commonly have narrowly acuminate leaves (but the same small antheridiate plants). Three specimens: Utah, Salt Lake County, Flowers 3151, 7291, COLO; and British Columbia, Vancouver Island, Schofield 28431, DUKE) are clearly intermediates in the important characters distinguishing between var. convoluta and var. eustegia.