Status: Native
Synonyms:
Hypnum plicatile (Mitt.) Lesq. & James
Hypnum revolutum (Mitt.) Lindb.
Hypnum revolutum (Mitt.) Lindb. var. dolomiticum (Milde) Mönk.
Hypnum revolutum(Mitt.) Lindb. var. subjulaceum Bryhn
Roaldia revoluta is yellow-green to brownish-green moss with pinnately branching stems. The leaves are frequently strongly falcate (sickle shaped) and turned the same direction. The costa is usually double and weak. The edges of the leaves are folded back upon themselves for a variable distance up the leaf, giving rise to the name revoluta. This particular specimen was found growing on granitic rock in the Ponderosa forest.
Some pleurocarpous mosses (horizontally growing mosses) have specialized small leaflike structures at the base of the stem buds; these are called "pseudoparaphyllia". In contrast, "paraphyllia", as seen on Thuidium for instance, are seen distributed up and down the stem more or less evenly rather than just at the base of leaves. Just as with paraphyllia, pseudoparaphyllia can be useful in differentiating genera or species. For instance, Roaldia revoluta has paraphyllia that are not deeply incised, whereas a very similar species-- H. imponens (now Callicladium imponens)-- has paraphyllia that are very deeply incised.
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Roaldia revoluta, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Silver City Range, north of 80 Mountain near FR 506, May 7, 2010
Roaldia revoluta, 3x field macro, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Silver City Range, north of 80 Mountain near FR 506, May 7, 2010
Roaldia revoluta, 100X photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Silver City Range, north of 80 Mountain near FR 506, May 7, 2010
Roaldia revoluta, 100X photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Silver City Range, north of 80 Mountain near FR 506, May 7, 2010
Roaldia revoluta, 100X photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Silver City Range, north of 80 Mountain near FR 506, May 7, 2010
Roaldia revoluta, 400X photomicrograph of cross section of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Silver City Range, north of 80 Mountain near FR 506, May 7, 2010
Roaldia revoluta, 400X photomicrograph of pseudoparaphyllium, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Negrito Creek, April 30, 2011
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