Status: Native
Synonyms:
Trichostomum sweetii (Bartram) Stark
Weissia planifolia Dixon
Weissia sweetii Bartram
Trichostomum planifolium has in the past been synonymized with Trichostomum crispulum and
Weissia perligulata at one time or another. W.A. Weber described it as "minute, Weissia-like plants
of desert-steppe, but leaves not as involute." That seems to be a pretty apt description, as there isn't much
more of a definitive nature to distinguish this moss. The specimen we illustrate here was collected by Seville
Flowers in 1962 and determined by him to be Weissia perligulata. In 1981 Ann Stoneburner annotated it to
Trichostomum crispulum. In 2002 W.A. Weber annotated the same specimen to Trichostomum sweetii, and
then in 2005 he annotated it to T. planifolium. We also have examined a collection by F.J. Hermann (as Trichostomum
cylindricum in 1962, from Loveland, CO) in which the leaves are much more long lanceolate than this Flowers specimen and that also has now been annotated to T. planifolium. It is fair to say that there has been confusion as to the status of this taxon.
Many thanks to the University of Colorado Herbarium (COLO), Erin Tripp, and Dina Clark for permitting
us to photograph this specimen.
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Trichostomum planifolium, collection and ID by S. Flowers (as Weissia perligulata) with later annotation by W.A. Weber to Trichostomum planifolium, Colorado, Moffat County, Green River at Rainbow Park on dry soil in shaded limestone crevices, August 5, 1962; photos by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, June 13, 20232
Trichostomum planifolium, habit, collection and ID by S. Flowers (as Weissia perligulata) with later annotation by W.A. Weber to Trichostomum planifolium, Colorado, Moffat County, Green River at Rainbow Park on dry soil in shaded limestone crevices, August 5, 1962; photos by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, June 13, 20232
Trichostomum planifolium, photomicrograph of single dry stem, collection and ID by S. Flowers (as Weissia perligulata) with later annotation by W.A. Weber to Trichostomum planifolium, Colorado, Moffat County, Green River at Rainbow Park on dry soil in shaded limestone crevices, August 5, 1962; photos by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, June 13, 20232
Trichostomum planifolium, photomicrograph of moistened stem, collection and ID by S. Flowers (as Weissia perligulata) with later annotation by W.A. Weber to Trichostomum planifolium, Colorado, Moffat County, Green River at Rainbow Park on dry soil in shaded limestone crevices, August 5, 1962; photos by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, June 13, 20232
Trichostomum planifolium, photomicrograph of moistened stem, collection and ID by S. Flowers (as Weissia perligulata) with later annotation by W.A. Weber to Trichostomum planifolium, Colorado, Moffat County, Green River at Rainbow Park on dry soil in shaded limestone crevices, August 5, 1962; photos by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, June 13, 20232
Trichostomum planifolium, photomicrograph of leaf, collection and ID by S. Flowers (as Weissia perligulata) with later annotation by W.A. Weber to Trichostomum planifolium, Colorado, Moffat County, Green River at Rainbow Park on dry soil in shaded limestone crevices, August 5, 1962; photos by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, June 13, 20232
Trichostomum planifolium, photomicrograph of leaf, collection and ID by S. Flowers (as Weissia perligulata) with later annotation by W.A. Weber to Trichostomum planifolium, Colorado, Moffat County, Green River at Rainbow Park on dry soil in shaded limestone crevices, August 5, 1962; photos by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, June 13, 20232
Trichostomum planifolium, photomicrograph of leaf apex, collection and ID by S. Flowers (as Weissia perligulata) with later annotation by W.A. Weber to Trichostomum planifolium, Colorado, Moffat County, Green River at Rainbow Park on dry soil in shaded limestone crevices, August 5, 1962; photos by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, June 13, 20232
Trichostomum planifolium, photomicrograph of leaf base, collection and ID by S. Flowers (as Weissia perligulata) with later annotation by W.A. Weber to Trichostomum planifolium, Colorado, Moffat County, Green River at Rainbow Park on dry soil in shaded limestone crevices, August 5, 1962; photos by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, June 13, 20232
Trichostomum planifolium, photomicrograph of leaf cross section, collection and ID by S. Flowers (as Weissia perligulata) with later annotation by W.A. Weber to Trichostomum planifolium, Colorado, Moffat County, Green River at Rainbow Park on dry soil in shaded limestone crevices, August 5, 1962; photos by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, June 13, 20232
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