Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

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

Climacium americanum Bridel

Family: Climaciaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Climacium kindbergii (Renauld & Cardot) Grout

Climacium americanum, more common in Eastern North America, is not as common in New Mexico as C. dendroides, which is more common in the West. C. americanum has an acute apex while the apex of C. dendroides is more obtuse. The medial laminal branch leaf cells of C. americanum are shorter than those of C. dendroides. There is considerable overlap in these features. The best characteristic to differentiate the two species is probably the capsule size, which is twice the length in C. americanum compared to that of C. dendroides. Unfortunately, capsules are commonly absent in collected specimens. The photographs here of a specimen we collected in Iowa.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Climacium americanum, collection and ID by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Iowa, Clayton County, Bixby State Park N of Edgewood, at Ice Cave on soil and litter, May 28, 2011; photograph Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, January 3, 2023



Climacium americanum, collection and ID by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Iowa, Clayton County, Bixby State Park N of Edgewood, at Ice Cave on soil and litter, May 28, 2011; photograph Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, January 3, 2023



Climacium americanum, macro of branches, collection and ID by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Iowa, Clayton County, Bixby State Park N of Edgewood, at Ice Cave on soil and litter, May 28, 2011; photograph Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, January 3, 2023



Climacium americanum, photomicrograph of branch leaf, collection and ID by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Iowa, Clayton County, Bixby State Park N of Edgewood, at Ice Cave on soil and litter, May 28, 2011; photograph Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, January 3, 2023



Climacium americanum, photomicrograph of branch leaf, collection and ID by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Iowa, Clayton County, Bixby State Park N of Edgewood, at Ice Cave on soil and litter, May 28, 2011; photograph Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, January 3, 2023



Climacium americanum, photomicrograph of branch leaf base, collection and ID by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Iowa, Clayton County, Bixby State Park N of Edgewood, at Ice Cave on soil and litter, May 28, 2011; photograph Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, January 3, 2023



Climacium americanum, photomicrograph of branch leaf apex, collection and ID by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Iowa, Clayton County, Bixby State Park N of Edgewood, at Ice Cave on soil and litter, May 28, 2011; photograph Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, January 3, 2023



Climacium americanum, photomicrograph of medial laminal of branch leaf, collection and ID by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Iowa, Clayton County, Bixby State Park N of Edgewood, at Ice Cave on soil and litter, May 28, 2011; photograph Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, January 3, 2023



Climacium americanum, photomicrograph of paraphyllium, collection and ID by Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Iowa, Clayton County, Bixby State Park N of Edgewood, at Ice Cave on soil and litter, May 28, 2011; photograph Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, January 3, 2023


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