Plants of the Gila Wilderness

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

Atrichum tenellum (Röhl.) Bruch & Schimp.

Family: Polytrichaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Catharinea tenella Röhl.

Atrichum tenellum is very similar to our much more common A. selwynii. Atrichum tenellum has less undulate leaves that have fewer, less pronounced spines projecting from the abaxial side. The leaf cells of A. tenellum are abou 20µm wide while those of A. selwynii are over 27µm wide. Most members of this genus are found in moist habitats.

Please click on an image for a larger file.




Atrichum tenellum, collection by Kirsten Romig (ID by Carl Darigo & Ron Wittmann) Sandoval County, Valles Caldera National Preserve, on soil on NW side of unnamed mountain, May 26, 2010; photos by Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred, and Karen Blisard, January 30, 2023



Atrichum tenellum, dry appearance, collection by Kirsten Romig (ID by Carl Darigo & Ron Wittmann) Sandoval County, Valles Caldera National Preserve, on soil on NW side of unnamed mountain, May 26, 2010; photos by Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred, and Karen Blisard, January 30, 2023



Atrichum tenellum, dry appearance of fertile stems, collection by Kirsten Romig (ID by Carl Darigo & Ron Wittmann) Sandoval County, Valles Caldera National Preserve, on soil on NW side of unnamed mountain, May 26, 2010; photos by Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred, and Karen Blisard, January 30, 2023



Atrichum tenellum, photomicrograph of leaf, collection by Kirsten Romig (ID by Carl Darigo & Ron Wittmann) Sandoval County, Valles Caldera National Preserve, on soil on NW side of unnamed mountain, May 26, 2010; photos by Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred, and Karen Blisard, January 30, 2023



Atrichum tenellum, photomicrograph of lamellae, collection by Kirsten Romig (ID by Carl Darigo & Ron Wittmann) Sandoval County, Valles Caldera National Preserve, on soil on NW side of unnamed mountain, May 26, 2010; photos by Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred, and Karen Blisard, January 30, 2023



Atrichum tenellum, photomicrograph of leaf apex, collection by Kirsten Romig (ID by Carl Darigo & Ron Wittmann) Sandoval County, Valles Caldera National Preserve, on soil on NW side of unnamed mountain, May 26, 2010; photos by Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred, and Karen Blisard, January 30, 2023



Atrichum tenellum, photomicrograph of leaf base, collection by Kirsten Romig (ID by Carl Darigo & Ron Wittmann) Sandoval County, Valles Caldera National Preserve, on soil on NW side of unnamed mountain, May 26, 2010; photos by Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred, and Karen Blisard, January 30, 2023



Atrichum tenellum, photomicrograph of laminal cells, collection by Kirsten Romig (ID by Carl Darigo & Ron Wittmann) Sandoval County, Valles Caldera National Preserve, on soil on NW side of unnamed mountain, May 26, 2010; photos by Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred, and Karen Blisard, January 30, 2023



Atrichum tenellum, photomicrograph of capsule, collection by Kirsten Romig (ID by Carl Darigo & Ron Wittmann) Sandoval County, Valles Caldera National Preserve, on soil on NW side of unnamed mountain, May 26, 2010; photos by Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred, and Karen Blisard, January 30, 2023



Atrichum tenellum, photomicrograph of peristome, collection by Kirsten Romig (ID by Carl Darigo & Ron Wittmann) Sandoval County, Valles Caldera National Preserve, on soil on NW side of unnamed mountain, May 26, 2010; photos by Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred, and Karen Blisard, January 30, 2023



Atrichum tenellum, photomicrograph of leaf cross section, collection by Kirsten Romig (ID by Carl Darigo & Ron Wittmann) Sandoval County, Valles Caldera National Preserve, on soil on NW side of unnamed mountain, May 26, 2010; photos by Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred, and Karen Blisard, January 30, 2023


Back to the Index