Reproduction and dispersal
The Kaiserstuhl mountains harbour (green arrow) the only fertile populations north of the 45th degree of latitude. The blue line indicates the maximum glaciation during the last ice age.
Reproduction
Apart from one mountain area, the Kaiserstuhl mountains in SW Germany, Pleurochaete squarrosa is completely sterile across its central and north-western European range.
In its Mediterranean core range sporophytes (the diploid spore producing generation) are widespread but often very rare.
Sporophytes are easily overlooked, as they are relatively short-lived (a few months through the winter half-year). They can be found predominantly in early spring.
Dispersal strategies and mechanisms
This plant grows in seasonally very dry habitats. It forms loose mats that disintegrate in their dried state fairly easily. Detached stems or leaves are dispersed by wind or animals.
Dense mats of Pleurochaete along paths and across dry pastures prove the efficiently of zoochory, for example by sheep and goats.
The spores are very small, c. 10µm in diameter, and are dispensed from an erect capsule aided with long, twisted peristome teeth.
These characters are characteristic for long-range wind dispersal.