Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

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

Scapania cuspiduligera (Nees) Muell. Frib.

Family: Scapaniaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Jungermannia cuspiduligera Nees

Scapania cuspiduligera, like most of the Scapaniaceae, has complicate-bilobed leaves with a dorsal (upper) lobe that is smaller than the ventral (bottom) lobe. The ventral leaf lobes are decurrent and the dorsal leaf lobes are upturned. There are no underleaves. In general the plants are small and pale yellowish. The leaves are bordered with a row of thick walled cells. There are frequent clusters of red brown gemmae near the shoot apices. Thanks to John Brinda for confirming the ID of this liverwort! Please click on an image for a larger file.



Scapania cuspiduligera, photomicrograph of habit, photo Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, Taos County, Carson National Forest, Williams Lake, August 7, 2015



Scapania cuspiduligera, dark field photomicrograph of stem, photo Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, Taos County, Carson National Forest, Williams Lake, August 7, 2015



Scapania cuspiduligera, transmitted light photomicrograph of stem, photo Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, Taos County, Carson National Forest, Williams Lake, August 7, 2015



Scapania cuspiduligera, photomicrograph of leaf margin with border of thick walled cells, photo Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, Taos County, Carson National Forest, Williams Lake, August 7, 2015



Scapania cuspiduligera, dark field photomicrograph of gemmae, photo Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, Taos County, Carson National Forest, Williams Lake, August 7, 2015



Scapania cuspiduligera, higher power photomicrograph of gemmae, photo Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, Taos County, Carson National Forest, Williams Lake, August 7, 2015


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