Plants of the Gila Wilderness

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

Crossidium squamiferum (Viviani) Juratzka

Family: Pottiaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Barbula squamifera Viviani
Tortula squamifera (Viviani) De Notaris

Crossidium squamiferum has rather small, triangular leaves with along hairpoint. However, the most obvious features are the incrassate upper lateral leaf cells that appear bleached white and the opaque, green region in the center of the upper leaf that consists of filaments 2-12 cells long arising from the costa. The top cell of the filaments is thin walled and frequently one or two papillose. The remaining cells of the lamina are smooth. The stem has a central strand. Crossidium squamiferum is found in dry, desert areas near water.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Crossidium squamiferum (4x macro dry), photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Sycamore Canyon near Cliff, October 1, 2011



Crossidium squamiferum (4x macro wet), photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Sycamore Canyon near Cliff, October 1, 2011



Crossidium squamiferum, 40x photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Sycamore Canyon near Cliff, October 1, 2011



Crossidium squamiferum, 100x photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Sycamore Canyon near Cliff, October 1, 2011



Crossidium squamiferum, 200x photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Sycamore Canyon near Cliff, October 1, 2011



Crossidium squamiferum, 400x photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Sycamore Canyon near Cliff, October 1, 2011



Crossidium squamiferum, 400x photomicrograph of costa, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Sycamore Canyon near Cliff, October 1, 2011



Crossidium squamiferum, 400x photomicrograph of cross section of upper leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Sycamore Canyon near Cliff, October 1, 2011



Crossidium squamiferum, 100x photomicrograph of cross section of upper leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Sycamore Canyon near Cliff, October 1, 2011



Crossidium squamiferum, 200x photomicrograph of stem with central strand, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Sycamore Canyon near Cliff, October 1, 2011



Crossidium squamiferum, photomicrograph of capsule, photo Russ Kleinman, Mary E. Dowse & Karen Blisard, Hell's Half Acre, December 15, 2017


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