Mosses of New Mexico Outside of the Gila Wilderness

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

Tayloria acuminata Hornschuch

Family: Splachnaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Hookeria acuminata Schleich.
Tayloria splachnoides var. acuminata(Hornschuch) Hüb.

Tayloria acuminata is easily confused with the Funariaceae because of its oblanceolate leaves with large rectangle to somewhat hexagonal cells and acuminate leaf tip. However, none of the Funariaceae have the nearly erect and nearly symmetrical capsules of Tayloria. The peristome teeth are divided to long linear divisions that gesticulate wildly with changes in humidity or applied heat such as with a dissecting scope lamp. Also, the perichaetia of Tayloria have no paraphyses, in strong contrast with the abundant paraphyses of Funaria. Tayloria has clublike axillary hairs with one or two red or brownish hairs at the base and an elongate terminal cell. Tayloria acuminata was found at upper elevation in a seep underneath exposed tree roots.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Tayloria acuminata, 4x macro of moist habit, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 2x macro of dry habit, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 40x photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 40x photomicrograph of characteristic leaf position on slide, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 100x dark field photomicrograph of wet capsule, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 100x photomicrograph of operculum, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 200x photomicrograph of clublike axillary hairs with red basal cells (stem to left, leaf to right), photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, photo taken with cellphone through the dissecting scope of dry sporophyte, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 100x photomicrograph of margin at midleaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 200x photomicrograph of leaf base, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 100x photomicrograph of distal leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 100x photomicrograph of margin at midleaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 400x photomicrograph of leaf tip, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 100x photomicrograph of distal leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, real time video of long slender peristome teeth moving very quickly in response to heat from dissecting scope (taken with cellphone held up to ocular), photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 400x photomicrograph of stem cross section with strong central strand, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014



Tayloria acuminata, 400x photomicrograph of cross section of leaf with large epidermal cells and a large mass of stereids/hydroids, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Taos Cty., Sange de Cristo Mtns., Carson National Forest, near the upper Taos Ski area lift, end of Twining/Kachina Rds., July 24, 2014


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