Plants of the Gila Wilderness

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

Nyholmiella obtusifolia (Bridel) Holmen & Warncke

Family: Orthotrichaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Orthotrichum obtusifolium Bridel

Nyholmiella obtusifolia is very distinctive. It forms large fuzzy carpets on Gambel Oak, and smaller but nonetheless distinctive clumps on other trees such as Douglas Fir. There are numerous multicellular cylindrical gemmae usually present on the lamina and not stalked in the axils such as in Zygodon. Unlike nearly all other Orthotrichaceae in New Mexico, the calyptra does not have hairs-- it is described as naked with papillae. The papillae are quite low and indistinct. The leaves themselves are quite frequently rounded at the apex, and there are no awns. Each leaf cell has one central simple papilla on both the lower and upper surfaces. We found Nyholmiella obtusifolia at high elevation on both Douglas Fir and Gambel Oak but with larger populations on the Oak.
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Nyholmiella obtusifolia, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Otero Cty., Sacramento Mountains, Lincoln NF, S of Cloudcroft, Russia Cyn Road about 100 yds from Sunspot Road, July 24, 2020



Nyholmiella obtusifolia, closeup of habit on Gambel Oak, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Otero Cty., Sacramento Mountains, Lincoln NF, S of Cloudcroft, Russia Cyn Road about 100 yds from Sunspot Road, July 24, 2020



Nyholmiella obtusifolia, photomicrograph of gemmae on leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Otero Cty., Sacramento Mountains, Lincoln NF, S of Cloudcroft, Russia Cyn Road about 100 yds from Sunspot Road, July 24, 2020



Nyholmiella obtusifolia, photomicrograph of gemmae on leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Otero Cty., Sacramento Mountains, Lincoln NF, S of Cloudcroft, Russia Cyn Road about 100 yds from Sunspot Road, July 24, 2020



Nyholmiella obtusifolia, photomicrograph of gemma, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Otero Cty., Sacramento Mountains, Lincoln NF, S of Cloudcroft, Russia Cyn Road about 100 yds from Sunspot Road, July 24, 2020



Nyholmiella obtusifolia, photomicrograph of naked calyptra, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Otero Cty., Sacramento Mountains, Lincoln NF, S of Cloudcroft, Russia Cyn Road about 100 yds from Sunspot Road, July 24, 2020



Nyholmiella obtusifolia, photomicrograph of well-formed exostome and ribbed capsule, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Otero Cty., Sacramento Mountains, Lincoln NF, S of Cloudcroft, Russia Cyn Road about 100 yds from Sunspot Road, July 24, 2020



Nyholmiella obtusifolia, photomicrograph of leaf and gemmae, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Otero Cty., Sacramento Mountains, Lincoln NF, S of Cloudcroft, Russia Cyn Road about 100 yds from Sunspot Road, July 24, 2020



Nyholmiella obtusifolia, photomicrograph of leaf and gemmae, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Otero Cty., Sacramento Mountains, Lincoln NF, S of Cloudcroft, Russia Cyn Road about 100 yds from Sunspot Road, July 24, 2020



Nyholmiella obtusifolia, photomicrograph of leaf apex with cells with one papilla, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Otero Cty., Sacramento Mountains, Lincoln NF, S of Cloudcroft, Russia Cyn Road about 100 yds from Sunspot Road, July 24, 2020



Nyholmiella obtusifolia, photomicrograph of leaf apex with cells with one papilla, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Otero Cty., Sacramento Mountains, Lincoln NF, S of Cloudcroft, Russia Cyn Road about 100 yds from Sunspot Road, July 24, 2020



Nyholmiella obtusifolia, photomicrograph of leaf cross sections, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Otero Cty., Sacramento Mountains, Lincoln NF, S of Cloudcroft, Russia Cyn Road about 100 yds from Sunspot Road, July 24, 2020


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