Plants of the Gila Wilderness

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

Leptobryum pyriforme (Hedwig) Wilson

Family: Meesiaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Leptobryum pyriforme (Hedw.) Wilson var. flagelliferum Holz.

Leptobryum pyriforme is a small moss of damp streamsides at upper elevation. It is most easily recognized in the field by the obviously pear shaped capsules with a very constricted neck on a moss with very elongate grass-like upper leaves. Under the microscope, the upper leaves are linear and grasslike and up to 5 or 6mm long. The leaves lower on the stem are much shorter and lanceolate. The costae are very pronounced on the lower leaves, broad and percurrent to excurrent. On the upper leaves, the costa is difficult to recognize at times as it takes up much of the width of the leaf and may not be colored differently than the cells at the periphery. The leaf axils of the leaves frequently have hairs with one or two bright red cells at the base. The rhizoids sometimes bear brood bodies, also known as rhizoidal tubers, that are multicellular, round to ovoid, smooth and dark reddish brown.
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Leptobryum pyriforme, photo Russ Kleinman, Bill Norris & Karen Blisard, San Francisco Mtns., Johnson Canyon, June 14, 2010



Leptobryum pyriforme, 5x macro of leaves, photo Russ Kleinman, Bill Norris & Karen Blisard, San Francisco Mtns., Johnson Canyon, June 14, 2010



Leptobryum pyriforme, 5x macro of capsule, photo Russ Kleinman, Bill Norris & Karen Blisard, San Francisco Mtns., Johnson Canyon, June 14, 2010



Leptobryum pyriforme, macro of capsules, photo Russ Kleinman, Bill Norris & Karen Blisard, San Francisco Mtns., Johnson Canyon, June 14, 2010



Leptobryum pyriforme, 100x photomicrograph of stem leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Bill Norris & Karen Blisard, San Francisco Mtns., Johnson Canyon, June 14, 2010



Leptobryum pyriforme, 100x photomicrograph of stem leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Bill Norris & Karen Blisard, San Francisco Mtns., Johnson Canyon, June 14, 2010



Leptobryum pyriforme, 100x photomicrograph of perichaetial leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Bill Norris & Karen Blisard, San Francisco Mtns., Johnson Canyon, June 14, 2010



Leptobryum pyriforme, 40x photomicrograph of perichaetial leaves, photo Russ Kleinman, Bill Norris & Karen Blisard, San Francisco Mtns., Johnson Canyon, June 14, 2010



Leptobryum pyriforme, 100x photomicrograph of leaf cross section, photo Russ Kleinman, Bill Norris & Karen Blisard, San Francisco Mtns., Johnson Canyon, June 14, 2010



Leptobryum pyriforme, 100x photomicrograph of lower stem leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Perry Lawson Canyon (Fox Lookout Road), June 15, 2012



Leptobryum pyriforme, 40x photomicrograph of upper stem leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Perry Lawson Canyon (Fox Lookout Road), June 15, 2012



Leptobryum pyriforme, 400x photomicrograph of lower stem leaf base with bright red axillary club hairs, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Perry Lawson Canyon (Fox Lookout Road), June 15, 2012



Leptobryum pyriforme, 400x photomicrograph of bright red axillary club hair with leaf removed, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Perry Lawson Canyon (Fox Lookout Road), June 15, 2012



Leptobryum pyriforme, rhizoidal tuber (brood body), photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Eagle Nest Lake, January 4, 2022



Leptobryum pyriforme, rhizoidal tuber (brood body), photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Eagle Nest Lake, January 4, 2022


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