Plants of the Gila Wilderness

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

Anacolia laevisphaera (Taylor) Flowers

Family: Bartramiaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Glyphocarpa laevisphaera Taylor
Bartramia subsessilis Taylor
Bartramia subsessilis (Taylor) C. Mueller
Glyphocarpa taylori Hampe
Glyphocarpa subsessilis (Taylor) Jaeg.
Anacolia abyssinica Schimp.
Anacolia subsessilis (Taylor) Broth. Anacolia subsessilis (Taylor) Broth. var. nigroviridis Card.
Anacolia subsessilis (Taylor) Broth. var. brevifolia Broth.
Anacolia subsessilis (Taylor) Broth. var. densiretis Ther.

Anacolia laevisphaera is an acrocarpous moss consisting of densely packed vertical stems that are mostly unbranched or sparsely branched. The long, thin leaves are erect when dry, spreading when wet. They are long lanceolate from a plicate, ovate base. The apex is coarsely serrate, and the margins are coarsely doubly serrate. The costa is excurrrent. The upper laminar cells are prorulate/papillae on one or both ends. On cross section, the upper lamina can be seen to be two-stratose and densely papillose. Anacolia laevisphaera is found on dry cliffs and rocks at middle elevation in the Gila.
The FNA treatment of Anacolia as well as Crum & Anderson do not describe the stem cross sectional anatomy in detail. However, the stem is quite remarkable. It is somewhat angled and has a roughly octagonal outline in cross section. The octagonal outline can be hard to demonstrate though when freehand cross sections are examined. In addition, there is a very strong elongate central strand. The central strand tears easily and seems to consist of many small cells with cell walls that nearly disappear approaching the center of the stem, giving the appearance of an oval "pith". Leaf cross sections have hydroids, manifested as a triangular clear zone abaxial to the central two guide cells.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Anacolia laevisphaera, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Meadow Creek, May 18, 2013



Anacolia laevisphaera, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Meadow Creek, May 18, 2013



Anacolia laevisphaera, photo Russ Kleinman, Richard Felger and the Thursday hiking group, Black Range, along the trail to Rabb Park, May 12, 2011



Anacolia laevisphaera, 40x photomicrograph of two leaves, photo Russ Kleinman, Richard Felger and the Thursday hiking group, Black Range, along the trail to Rabb Park, May 12, 2011



Anacolia laevisphaera, 40x photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Richard Felger and the Thursday hiking group, Black Range, along the trail to Rabb Park, May 12, 2011



Anacolia laevisphaera, 40x photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Richard Felger and the Thursday hiking group, Black Range, along the trail to Rabb Park, May 12, 2011



Anacolia laevisphaera, 400x photomicrograph of double teeth on leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Richard Felger and the Thursday hiking group, Black Range, along the trail to Rabb Park, May 12, 2011



Anacolia laevisphaera, 400x photomicrograph of double teeth on leaf cross section, photo Russ Kleinman, Richard Felger and the Thursday hiking group, Black Range, along the trail to Rabb Park, May 12, 2011



Anacolia laevisphaera, 400x photomicrograph of leaf tip, photo Russ Kleinman, Richard Felger and the Thursday hiking group, Black Range, along the trail to Rabb Park, May 12, 2011



Anacolia laevisphaera, 400x photomicrograph of leaf base, photo Russ Kleinman, Richard Felger and the Thursday hiking group, Black Range, along the trail to Rabb Park, May 12, 2011



Anacolia laevisphaera, 400x photomicrograph of midleaf-- note prorulose/papillose cells, photo Russ Kleinman, Richard Felger and the Thursday hiking group, Black Range, along the trail to Rabb Park, May 12, 2011



Anacolia laevisphaera, 400x photomicrograph of leaf cross section, photo Russ Kleinman, Richard Felger and the Thursday hiking group, Black Range, along the trail to Rabb Park, May 12, 2011



Anacolia laevisphaera, 400x photomicrograph of leaf cross section, photo Russ Kleinman, Richard Felger and the Thursday hiking group, Black Range, along the trail to Rabb Park, May 12, 2011



Anacolia laevisphaera, 400x photomicrograph of leaf cross section with hydroids, photo Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Ben Lily Cliffs, June 2, 2015



Anacolia laevisphaera, 100x dark field photomicrograph of stem cross section with strong elongate central strand and rougly octagonal outline, photo Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Ben Lily Cliffs, June 2, 2015


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