Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

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

Dicranum tauricum Sapjegin

Family: Dicranaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Dicranum strictum D. Mohr

Dicranum tauricum is notable for deciduous leaf apices-- many to most of the leaf tips are broken off. Otherwise, this moss looks very much like our D. rhabdocarpum. There are other subtle differences in the alar cells, margins, and the costa. The leaves of Dicranum tauricum are more acute than those of D. rhabdocarpum. D. tauricum is usually found on rotten wood.
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Dicranum tauricum, collection Kelly Allred, Cibola County, El Malpais National Monument, April 17, 2018; photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, November 10, 2022



Dicranum tauricum, macro showing broken stems, collection Kelly Allred, Cibola County, El Malpais National Monument, April 17, 2018; photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, November 10, 2022



Dicranum tauricum, dark field photomicrograph of leaf, collection Kelly Allred, Cibola County, El Malpais National Monument, April 17, 2018; photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, November 10, 2022



Dicranum tauricum, photomicrograph of leaf apex, collection Kelly Allred, Cibola County, El Malpais National Monument, April 17, 2018; photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, November 10, 2022



Dicranum tauricum, photomicrograph of leaf base, collection Kelly Allred, Cibola County, El Malpais National Monument, April 17, 2018; photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, November 10, 2022



Dicranum tauricum, photomicrograph of leaf cross section near base, collection Kelly Allred, Cibola County, El Malpais National Monument, April 17, 2018; photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, November 10, 2022



Dicranum tauricum, photomicrograph of unistratose alar cells, collection Kelly Allred, Cibola County, El Malpais National Monument, April 17, 2018; photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, November 10, 2022



Dicranum tauricum, photomicrograph of erect capsule, collection Kelly Allred, San Miguel County, Porvenir Canyon, June 13, 2021; photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, November 10, 2022


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