Status: Native
Synonyms:
Gymnostomum involutum Hook.
Hyophila involuta has recently been found (March, 2024) by John Brinda in Eddy County, New Mexico. We have also now (April, 2024) found it in Grant County, New Mexico. It has blackish-green leaves that are clustered at the ends of the stems (rosulate) and that are involute/tubulose when dry. The leaves rapidly expand to a ligulate, somewhat sheathing shape when wet, with a percurrent costa that may form an apiculus. The quadrate midleaf cells bulge ventrally in noticeable diagonal rows, although papillae are not present or not obvious, and the cells are rather small at about 8 microns wide. The leaves are inconspicuously serrulate distally. There are two stereid bands on cross section and the stem has a central strand. There are frequently abundant multicellular gemmae that are formed in leaf axils at the ends of long, thick (much thicker than the rhizoids for comparision) chlorophyllose or brownish multicellular stalks. The gemmae are variable in shape and can be elliptic to stellate. Hyophila involuta is found in the beds of seasonally flowing creeks on rock. Be sure to also check out the pix we took of John Brinda's specimen from Eddy County.
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Hyophila involuta (dry), Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard , Grant County, Gila National Forest, Lower Gallinas Canyon, April 28, 2024
Hyophila involuta (moistened), Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard , Grant County, Gila National Forest, Lower Gallinas Canyon, April 28, 2024
Hyophila involuta, photomicrograph of leaf, Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard , Grant County, Gila National Forest, Lower Gallinas Canyon, April 28, 2024
Hyophila involuta, photomicrograph of ventrally bulging lamina cells, Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard , Grant County, Gila National Forest, Lower Gallinas Canyon, April 28, 2024
Hyophila involuta, photomicrograph of long-stalked axillary gemmae with some leaves removed from stem, Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard , Grant County, Gila National Forest, Lower Gallinas Canyon, April 28, 2024
Hyophila involuta, photomicrograph of long-stalked gemma, Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard , Grant County, Gila National Forest, Lower Gallinas Canyon, April 28, 2024
Hyophila involuta, photomicrograph of gemma, Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard , Grant County, Gila National Forest, Lower Gallinas Canyon, April 28, 2024
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