Plants of the Gila Wilderness

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

Pylaisia selwynii (Kindberg) Crum, Steere & L.E. Anderson

Family: Pylaisiaceae, formerly Hypnaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
None

Pylaisia selwynii is usually found on the trunks of trees. Crum and Anderson describe the dry appearance as having "an abundance of erect branches, neatly curled when dry." In addition, there are many quadrate alar cells along the margin, up to about 30. The stem leaves (0.9mm to 1.2mm) are smaller than those of P. polyantha (usually 1.3mm or longer). The endostome segments of the capsule partially adhere to the exostome teeth and are split down the center. Several months after finding Pylaisia selwynii on the 3 Rivers Campground Trail, we discovered it on the Tadpole Ridge Trail in the Gila. The pix can be found at Pylaisia selwynii in the Gila.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Pylaisia selwynii, macro of dry habit, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln National Forest, 3 Rivers Campground Trail, February 25, 2015



Pylaisia selwynii, macro of dry habit, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln National Forest, 3 Rivers Campground Trail, February 25, 2015



Pylaisia selwynii, macro of dry habit, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln National Forest, 3 Rivers Campground Trail, February 25, 2015



Pylaisia selwynii, macro of capsule, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln National Forest, 3 Rivers Campground Trail, February 25, 2015



Pylaisia selwynii, 100x photomicrograph of stem leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln National Forest, 3 Rivers Campground Trail, February 25, 2015



Pylaisia selwynii, 100x photomicrograph of second stem leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln National Forest, 3 Rivers Campground Trail, February 25, 2015



Pylaisia selwynii, 200x photomicrograph of peristome (endostome split down the center and partially adherent to exostome), photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln National Forest, 3 Rivers Campground Trail, February 25, 2015



Pylaisia selwynii, 400x photomicrograph of peristome (endostome split down the center and partially adherent to exostome), photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln National Forest, 3 Rivers Campground Trail, February 25, 2015



Pylaisia selwynii, 400x photomicrograph of peristome (endostome split down the center and partially adherent to exostome), photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln National Forest, 3 Rivers Campground Trail, February 25, 2015


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