Status: Native
Synonyms:
Haplohymenium triste (Ces.) Kindb.
(and more than 13 other synonyms-- see http://floranorthamerica.org/Anomodon_tristis for more)
Anomodon tristis, when first seen, does not appear to be an Anomodon at all because of its small size and wiry appearance. Microscopically, it looks like a shrunken down, smaller version of Anomodon minor, but it is not complanate as is A. minor and many of the leaves of A. tristis are broken off at midleaf. It is so small that we misidentified it in the field as Platydictya. The leaves of A. tristis have a broad base rather abruptly narrowed to the apex at around midleaf. The cells at midleaf are nearly round with several low conical papillae that are either simple or branched into two. The marginal papillae appear larger and give the margin a toothed or wavy appearance. The leaves are fragile and the broken tips are reminiscent of Syntrichia fragilis. According to FNA, A. tristis is found on tree trunks, but this specimen was found growing as a thin wiry mat under the overhang of a large boulder at about 7500 feet elevation in mixed conifer forest.
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Anomodon tristis, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, Stacey Anderson & Chuck Anderson, Santa Fe National Forest near Las Vegas, NM, Porvenir Canyon, about 0.5 mi N on trail from parking area to Hermit Peak, just past 1st creek crossing, June 18, 2021
Anomodon tristis, photomicrograph of mat of dry stems, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, Stacey Anderson & Chuck Anderson, Santa Fe National Forest near Las Vegas, NM, Porvenir Canyon, about 0.5 mi N on trail from parking area to Hermit Peak, just past 1st creek crossing, June 18, 2021
Anomodon tristis, little higher power photomicrograph of mat of dry stems, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, Stacey Anderson & Chuck Anderson, Santa Fe National Forest near Las Vegas, NM, Porvenir Canyon, about 0.5 mi N on trail from parking area to Hermit Peak, just past 1st creek crossing, June 18, 2021
Anomodon tristis, photomicrograph of wet mount of single stem-- notice that many of the leaves are broken off at midleaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, Stacey Anderson & Chuck Anderson, Santa Fe National Forest near Las Vegas, NM, Porvenir Canyon, about 0.5 mi N on trail from parking area to Hermit Peak, just past 1st creek crossing, June 18, 2021
Anomodon tristis, photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, Stacey Anderson & Chuck Anderson, Santa Fe National Forest near Las Vegas, NM, Porvenir Canyon, about 0.5 mi N on trail from parking area to Hermit Peak, just past 1st creek crossing, June 18, 2021
Anomodon tristis, photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, Stacey Anderson & Chuck Anderson, Santa Fe National Forest near Las Vegas, NM, Porvenir Canyon, about 0.5 mi N on trail from parking area to Hermit Peak, just past 1st creek crossing, June 18, 2021
Anomodon tristis, photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, Stacey Anderson & Chuck Anderson, Santa Fe National Forest near Las Vegas, NM, Porvenir Canyon, about 0.5 mi N on trail from parking area to Hermit Peak, just past 1st creek crossing, June 18, 2021
Anomodon tristis, photomicrograph of leaf apex, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, Stacey Anderson & Chuck Anderson, Santa Fe National Forest near Las Vegas, NM, Porvenir Canyon, about 0.5 mi N on trail from parking area to Hermit Peak, just past 1st creek crossing, June 18, 2021
Anomodon tristis, photomicrograph of leaf base, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, Stacey Anderson & Chuck Anderson, Santa Fe National Forest near Las Vegas, NM, Porvenir Canyon, about 0.5 mi N on trail from parking area to Hermit Peak, just past 1st creek crossing, June 18, 2021
Anomodon tristis, photomicrograph of leaf emphasizing papilla morphology, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, Stacey Anderson & Chuck Anderson, Santa Fe National Forest near Las Vegas, NM, Porvenir Canyon, about 0.5 mi N on trail from parking area to Hermit Peak, just past 1st creek crossing, June 18, 2021
Anomodon tristis, photomicrograph of leaf emphasizing papilla morphology, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, Stacey Anderson & Chuck Anderson, Santa Fe National Forest near Las Vegas, NM, Porvenir Canyon, about 0.5 mi N on trail from parking area to Hermit Peak, just past 1st creek crossing, June 18, 2021
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