Status: Native
Synonyms:
None
Tetraphis pellucida is a rather unique appearing moss that is not common in New Mexico. The most unique features of T. pellucida are the abundance of splash cups bearing numerous multicellular, football-shaped gemmae held into the cups by delicate threads, and the capsules that have peristomes with only four stout teeth. The leaves, at first look through a hand lens, seem similar to those of a liverwort-- rather round in shape at least around the splash cups where they may even be emarginate. Lower on the leaf, they are much smaller with an acute apex. The perichaetial leaves are acute and comparatively elongate. The leaves are plane at the margin and have no teeth, and the cell walls seem to get a bit thicker nearer the apex. It is possible to mistake this moss for Aulacomium species at low magnification in the field if stalk gemmae are seen first, as they resemble Aulacomium gemmaphores. However, the smooth leaf cells and gemmae cups set Tetraphis pellucida apart quickly in the lab from other possibilities, especially if mature capsules with four teeth are present. Kimmerer (The Bryologist 94 (3): 255–260, 1991) found that the production of sporophytes and gemmae
in Tetraphis is dependent on shoot density, with gemmae being solely present below a density of 90 shoots per square centimeter, and sporophytes being solely present above a density
of 190 shoots per square centimeter. At intermediate densities, both sporophytes and gemmae are usually present. The mature gemmae cups look like miniature bird's nest fungi in an
example of evolutionary convergence. Tetraphis pellucida can be found at middle to upper elevations in New Mexico in the shade on wet rotting downed tree trunks.
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Tetraphis pellucida, 3x macro of moist habit, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln County, Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Tetraphis pellucida, 3x macro of two splash cups, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln County, Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Tetraphis pellucida, 3x macro of splash cup, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln County, Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Tetraphis pellucida, 5x macro of splash cup, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln County, Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Tetraphis pellucida, taken with Galaxy S6 through dissecting scope, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln County, Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Tetraphis pellucida, 200x photomicrograph of stem leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln County, Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Tetraphis pellucida, 100x photomicrograph of stem leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln County, Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Tetraphis pellucida, 400x photomicrograph of single gemma, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln County, Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Tetraphis pellucida, 200x photomicrograph of apex of large, nearly round specialized splash cup leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln County, Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Tetraphis pellucida, 400x photomicrograph of leaf cross section, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln County, Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Tetraphis pellucida, 200x photomicrograph of leaf cross section, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln County, Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Tetraphis pellucida, macro of peristome and capsule, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln County, Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Tetraphis pellucida, macro of calyptra, photo Russ Kleinman, Kelly Allred & Karen Blisard, Lincoln County, Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
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