Plants of the Gila Wilderness
Presented in Association with the
Western New Mexico University Department
of Natural Sciences
Rosulabryum flaccidum (Bridel) J.R. Spence
Family: Bryaceae
Status: Native
Synonyms:
Bryum flaccidum Bridel
Rosulabryum flaccidum is not common in New Mexico. When dry, the leaves are not tightly and evenly spirally wrapped around the stem. The leaves
are ovate to oblanceolate with a mostly entire distal margin. The basal cells are rectangular. Apparently there are usually filiform gemmae
in the leaf axils, but they can be absent as in our specimen. There are multicellular spherical rhizoidal gemmae, also known as rhizoidal tubers, present. These rhizoidal
tubers measure approximately 150-300 microns across and are orange when wet and red-brown when dry. They have a honey-comb pattern of cells walls
visible on the surface when wet or dry in adequate light. We found Rosulabryum flaccidum in seasonally wet soil in an otherwise very arid location at
lower elevation.
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Rosulabryum flaccidum, macro of dry habit (with Bryum lanatum P. Beauvois), photo Russ Kleinman,
Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Tres Hermanas, February 26, 2016
Rosulabryum flaccidum, macro of dry habit (with Bryum lanatum P. Beauvois), photo Russ Kleinman,
Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Tres Hermanas, February 26, 2016
Rosulabryum flaccidum, macro of wet habit, photo Russ Kleinman,
Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Tres Hermanas, February 26, 2016
Rosulabryum flaccidum, dark field photomicrograph of
3 wet stems, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Tres Hermanas, February 26, 2016
Rosulabryum flaccidum, photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman,
Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Tres Hermanas, February 26, 2016
Rosulabryum flaccidum, photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman,
Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Tres Hermanas, February 26, 2016
Rosulabryum flaccidum, photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman,
Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Tres Hermanas, February 26, 2016
Rosulabryum flaccidum, photomicrograph of leaf base, photo Russ Kleinman,
Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Tres Hermanas, February 26, 2016
Rosulabryum flaccidum, photomicrograph of leaf apex, photo Russ Kleinman,
Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Tres Hermanas, February 26, 2016
Rosulabryum flaccidum, low power photomicrograph of typical
appearance of wet rhizoidal tubers, photo Russ Kleinman,
Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Tres Hermanas, February 26, 2016
Rosulabryum flaccidum, higher power photomicrograph of wet
rhizoidal tuber, photo Russ Kleinman,
Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Tres Hermanas, February 26, 2016
Rosulabryum flaccidum, higher power photomicrograph of wet
rhizoidal tuber, photo Russ Kleinman,
Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Tres Hermanas, February 26, 2016
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