Plants of the Gila Wilderness

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

Amblystegium varium (Hedwig) Lindberg

Family: Amblystegiaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Amblystegium varium (Hedw.) Lindb. var. alaskanum Cardot & Thér.
Amblystegium varium (Hedw.) Lindb. var. lancifolium Grout
Amblystegium varium (Hedw.) Lindb. var. ovatum (Grout) Grout
Amblystegium varium (Hedw.) Lindb. var. parvulum (Austin) Grout
Hygroamblystegium varium (Hedw.) Mönk.

Amblystegium varium is a moss that lives submerged or in the splash zone of creeks. It is very wiry to the touch. The small leaves have a costa that is quite heavy at the base and disappears into the tip. On older stems, the costa is frequently the only surviving parts of skeleton leaves. The lamina cells are oblong. The leaves are acute and slightly plicate. The capsule is stronlgy curved and constricted below the mouth. The peristome is double with the endostome longer and paler than the exostome.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Amblystegium varium, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, October 25, 2010



Amblystegium varium, 4x macro, older branches holding costae without the laminae, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, October 25, 2010



Amblystegium varium, 100x photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, October 25, 2010



Amblystegium varium, 100x photomicrograph of differentleaf (probably branch leaf), photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, October 25, 2010



Amblystegium varium, 5x macro of sporophyte, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, June 12, 2014



Amblystegium varium, 5x macro of sporophyte, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, June 12, 2014



Amblystegium varium, 5x macro of sporophytes, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Little Cherry Creek Ranch Road, June 12, 2014


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