Status: Native
Synonyms:
Tortula ammonsiana H. A. Crum & L. E. Anderson
Syntrichia ammonsiana was first found in New Mexico by Jason Brooks in John Brinda in the Animas Mountains of the bootheel of the state in 2020. It was only described as a species in 1979. Part of the reason for this is that S. ammonsiana is very inconspicuous. It is a small acrocarpous moss that hides in rock crevices, frequently accompanying the larger Syntrichia fragilis in that habitat. S. ammonsiana has leaf-like propagula that appear to nest in the center of the plant giving it the appearance of a mossy sunflower. The propagula are actually borne on stalks in the distal leaf axils. The propagula are smaller than the typical leaves, can have a costa and apiculus, are papillose but are quite variable in size and shape. The leaves of S. ammonsiana are papillose and have an apiculus that is frequently worn off on older leaves. The appearance of S. ammonsiana is quite similar to that of S. laevipila, but the propagula are quite different.
Many thanks to John Brinda for helping find and ID this plant!
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Syntrichia ammonsiana, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, under overhang on rocky outcrop near parking lot at bottom of Signal Peak (Bear Canyon) Road, July 14, 2022
Syntrichia ammonsiana, photo Russ Kleinman, John Brinda & Karen Blisard, Black Range, Railroad Canyon, approx. 400 yards up the trail from the parking area in a crevice in a volcanic rock outcrop, April 3, 2022
Syntrichia ammonsiana, photomicrograph of stem, photo Russ Kleinman, John Brinda & Karen Blisard, Black Range, Railroad Canyon, approx. 400 yards up the trail from the parking area in a crevice in a volcanic rock outcrop, April 3, 2022
Syntrichia ammonsiana, photomicrograph of stem, photo Russ Kleinman, John Brinda & Karen Blisard, Black Range, Railroad Canyon, approx. 400 yards up the trail from the parking area in a crevice in a volcanic rock outcrop, April 3, 2022
Syntrichia ammonsiana, photomicrograph of moistened stem, photo Russ Kleinman, John Brinda & Karen Blisard, Black Range, Railroad Canyon, approx. 400 yards up the trail from the parking area in a crevice in a volcanic rock outcrop, April 3, 2022
Syntrichia ammonsiana, photomicrograph of moistened stem, photo Russ Kleinman, John Brinda & Karen Blisard, Black Range, Railroad Canyon, approx. 400 yards up the trail from the parking area in a crevice in a volcanic rock outcrop, April 3, 2022
Syntrichia ammonsiana, photomicrograph of leaf with propagules at base, photo Russ Kleinman, John Brinda & Karen Blisard, Black Range, Railroad Canyon, approx. 400 yards up the trail from the parking area in a crevice in a volcanic rock outcrop, April 3, 2022
Syntrichia ammonsiana, photomicrograph of two leaves with propagules, photo Russ Kleinman, John Brinda & Karen Blisard, Black Range, Railroad Canyon, approx. 400 yards up the trail from the parking area in a crevice in a volcanic rock outcrop, April 3, 2022
Syntrichia ammonsiana, photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, John Brinda & Karen Blisard, Black Range, Railroad Canyon, approx. 400 yards up the trail from the parking area in a crevice in a volcanic rock outcrop, April 3, 2022
Syntrichia ammonsiana, photomicrograph of leaf-like propagule, photo Russ Kleinman, John Brinda & Karen Blisard, Black Range, Railroad Canyon, approx. 400 yards up the trail from the parking area in a crevice in a volcanic rock outcrop, April 3, 2022
Syntrichia ammonsiana, photomicrograph of two dissimilar leaf-like propagules, photo Russ Kleinman, John Brinda & Karen Blisard, Black Range, Railroad Canyon, approx. 400 yards up the trail from the parking area in a crevice in a volcanic rock outcrop, April 3, 2022
Syntrichia ammonsiana, photomicrograph of apex of leaf with propagule, photo Russ Kleinman, John Brinda & Karen Blisard, Black Range, Railroad Canyon, approx. 400 yards up the trail from the parking area in a crevice in a volcanic rock outcrop, April 3, 2022
Syntrichia ammonsiana, photomicrograph of base of leaf with propagule, photo Russ Kleinman, John Brinda & Karen Blisard, Black Range, Railroad Canyon, approx. 400 yards up the trail from the parking area in a crevice in a volcanic rock outcrop, April 3, 2022
Syntrichia ammonsiana, leaf-like propagula on stalks in distal leaf axils after all but a portion of one leaf is removed, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, under overhang on rocky outcrop near parking lot at bottom of Signal Peak (Bear Canyon) Road, July 14, 2022
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