Description. Plants in dense mats; main stems sympodial, plagiotropic, 3 (4-5) 7 cm long, closely branched; branches elongated, ending in obtuse, rosulate tips; flagelliform branches common; pseudoparaphylia foliose, with papillose cells; leaves ovate or broadly ovate, 1.9-2.2 mm long, 0.8-1.1 mm wide, concave, imbricate, spreading when moist, strongly plicate; margins recurved to acumen; high base, widest point at or above middle of leaf; apex cuspidate, hyaline, margins sharply dentate; apical leaf cells homogeneously elongated, narrow elliptic (5-7:1), 18-28 µm long, not sinuose, with many marginal papillae; upper and median leaf cells 14-18 µm long, sub-quadrate to short elliptic (2:1), walls sinuose, papillae 2-3, low, on side walls, overarching lumen; autoicous; archegonia medial on short vaginula (1.4-1.6 mm); perichaetial leaves narrow lanceolate, 2.4-2.9 mm long, less than twice the length of vegetative leaves, covering 1 mm of seta, acuminate, plicate, perichaetial paraphyses biseriate at base, immersed; setae 7 (9-10) 12 mm long; capsule exserted, necks 0.3-0.4 mm, broad, gradually attenuated, urns 1.7-2.5 mm long, narrowly elliptic, mouth narrow, nearly 1/2 as wide as urn, capsule walls smooth, exothecial cells rectangular; stomates superficial; opercula base conical, short oblique rostrate; calyptrae cucullate, large; spores 29-31 µm in diameter.

Habitat. Commonly grows on trees, but also colonizes andesitic rocks in exposed habitats within forests at middle to high elevations (1500-2700 m).

Distribution. Mexico (Aguascalientes, Edo. de México, Hidalgo, Nuevo León, Queretaro, Tlaxcala), Peru, Bolivia

Illustrations.

Selected specimens examined.

MEXICO. Aguascalientes, San José de Gracia, La Congoja, Villalobos 8 (MEXU, NY); Estado de México, Toluca, Pringle 15171 (FH proparte, NY, S); Cerro Gordo, Cárdenas 2200 (DUKE); San Martín de las Pirámides, Cerro Gordo, Allen 12943 (MO); Hidalgo, Cuyamaloya, Pringle 10627 (BM, H, JE, MO, NY, S, US); ridge above Real del Monte, near Pachuca, Sharp 797 (MICH, US); S of San Juan del Rio, Rauh and Dull 122 (H); Nuevo León, 3 mi NW of Picacho Onofre, Nesom and Wells 34 (DUKE); Cerro del Viejo, 15 mi W Dulces Nombres, Meyer and Rogers 149 (G, NY); Querétaro, cerro El Pinguical, cerca de Pinal de Amoles, Ocampo 620 (XAL); Tlaxcala, Mt. Tlacuapanga, Sharp 433 (MICH); cerca de Villareal, al NE de Huamantla, De Luna 2646 (XAL), 2718 (XAL), 2720 (XAL).

PERU. Cusco: Calca, Pisac, Marin 622 (F); Laguna Urpicancha, near Huacarpay, Inoue 828 (JE).

BOLIVIA. La Paz, 1846, Bridges s.n. (BM, NY); Carasani and Niño Karine, NNW of Chuma, Lewis 79-947 (F); alrededores de Sorata, De Luna 2094 (DUKE, LPB); in market at Cochabamba, Hermann 25280 (NY); Santa Cruz, Comarapa und Abra de Catalina, Herzog 3703 (JE, S); In der Cordillere von Santa Cruz, Herzog 3482 (JE, S).

Reference:

De Luna, E. 2022. Lectotypification, taxonomy, and distribution of Braunia plicata (Hedwigiaceae) in South America and Mexico. PHYTOTAXA 532: 101-106.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.532.1.9