Mosses of New Mexico Outside of the Gila Wilderness

Presented in Association with the
Western New Mexico University Department of Natural Sciences

Coscinodon cribrosus (Hedwig) Spruce

Family: Grimmiaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Grimmia cribrosa Hedwig

Coscinodon cribrosus is a lower elevation arid land moss with long hair points and incurved margins. The key to identification is noting the unusual leaf striations that correspond to the plications seen on cross section. The leaf cross sections have an appearance shared only by one or two other of the Grimmiaceae, with the medial half of the lamina being unistratose and the lateral half of the lamina being bistratose. The junction of the unistratose and bistratose portions of the lamina is marked by a 90 degree upwards turn, creating the plication on either side and giving rise to the striations.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Coscinodon cribrosus, 3x macro of dry habit, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Hidalgo Cty., Peloncillo Mtns., Coronado Nat. Forest, Geronimo Trail, Clanton Draw, January 10, 2013



Coscinodon cribrosus, 3x macro of wet habit, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Hidalgo Cty., Peloncillo Mtns., Coronado Nat. Forest, Geronimo Trail, Clanton Draw, January 10, 2013



Coscinodon cribrosus, 3x macro of wet habit, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Hidalgo Cty., Peloncillo Mtns., Coronado Nat. Forest, Geronimo Trail, Clanton Draw, January 10, 2013



Coscinodon cribrosus, 5x macro of plications, dry habit, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Hidalgo Cty., Peloncillo Mtns., Coronado Nat. Forest, Geronimo Trail, Clanton Draw, January 10, 2013



Coscinodon cribrosus, 40x photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Hidalgo Cty., Peloncillo Mtns., Coronado Nat. Forest, Geronimo Trail, Clanton Draw, January 10, 2013



Coscinodon cribrosus, 200x photomicrograph of leaf striations, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Hidalgo Cty., Peloncillo Mtns., Coronado Nat. Forest, Geronimo Trail, Clanton Draw, January 10, 2013



Coscinodon cribrosus, 400x photomicrograph of proximal leaf cross section with 2 guide cells, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Hidalgo Cty., Peloncillo Mtns., Coronado Nat. Forest, Geronimo Trail, Clanton Draw, January 10, 2013



Coscinodon cribrosus, 400x photomicrograph of distal leaf cross section with bistratose lateral portion of the lamina and incurved margins, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Hidalgo Cty., Peloncillo Mtns., Coronado Nat. Forest, Geronimo Trail, Clanton Draw, January 10, 2013


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