Status: Native
Synonyms:
Zygodon rufotomentosus E. Britton ex Malta
Zygodon rupestris (Lindb. ex Hartm.) Lindb. ex E. Britton
Zygodon viridissimus (Dicks.) Brid. var. rufotomentosus (E. Britton ex Malta) Grout
Zygodon viridissimus (Dicks.) Brid. var. vulgaris Malta
Zygodon vulgaris (Malta) Nyholm
Zygodon viridissimus var. rupestris is an interesting little moss that can be difficult to identify. It has the aspect of something in the Pottiaceae, with pluripapillose leaves and 3-5 celled gemmae that look similar to those of Leptodontium, with which it can share habitat. However, the homogeneous appearance of the costa on cross section is more like Orthotrichum. Plants in the genus Orthotrichum can also have gemmae, but they are always on the leaves rather than densely packed in the leaf axils as in Zygodon. In addition, Zygodon has 2-6 papillae per cell, rather than the 1-2 papillae per cell seen in the common Orthotrichums in New Mexico. The leaves are only 1-2mm long. We found Zygodon viridissimus var. rupestris at 7800 feet elevation along Bonito Creek near Ruidoso in mixed conifer forest, growing on a living Quercus gambelii (Gambel Oak) trunk.
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Zygodon viridissimus var. rupestris, 5x macro dry, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Lincoln Cty., Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek Road about 10 mi N of Ruidoso, on Gambel Oak trunk alongside Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Zygodon viridissimus var. rupestris, 40x photomicrograph of two stems with scattered gemmae, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Lincoln Cty., Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek Road about 10 mi N of Ruidoso, on Gambel Oak trunk alongside Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Zygodon viridissimus var. rupestris, 100x photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Lincoln Cty., Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek Road about 10 mi N of Ruidoso, on Gambel Oak trunk alongside Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Zygodon viridissimus var. rupestris, 200x photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Lincoln Cty., Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek Road about 10 mi N of Ruidoso, on Gambel Oak trunk alongside Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Zygodon viridissimus var. rupestris, 400x photomicrograph of leaf apex with cells that have 2-4 punctate papillae each, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Lincoln Cty., Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek Road about 10 mi N of Ruidoso, on Gambel Oak trunk alongside Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Zygodon viridissimus var. rupestris, 400x photomicrograph of leaf axil packed with stalked 3-5 celled gemmae, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Lincoln Cty., Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek Road about 10 mi N of Ruidoso, on Gambel Oak trunk alongside Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Zygodon viridissimus var. rupestris, 400x photomicrograph of 3-5 celled gemmae, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Lincoln Cty., Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek Road about 10 mi N of Ruidoso, on Gambel Oak trunk alongside Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Zygodon viridissimus var. rupestris, 400x photomicrograph of 3-5 celled gemmae, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Lincoln Cty., Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek Road about 10 mi N of Ruidoso, on Gambel Oak trunk alongside Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Zygodon viridissimus var. rupestris, 400x photomicrograph of leaf cross section, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Lincoln Cty., Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek Road about 10 mi N of Ruidoso, on Gambel Oak trunk alongside Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
Zygodon viridissimus var. rupestris, 400x photomicrograph of stem cross section with no central strand, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard & Kelly Allred, Lincoln Cty., Lincoln National Forest, Bonito Creek Road about 10 mi N of Ruidoso, on Gambel Oak trunk alongside Bonito Creek, July 13, 2015
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