Status: Native
Synonyms:
None found
Mnium blytii can be confused with Rhizomnium because of the broadly ovate to elliptic leaf shape and lack of well-defined marginal teeth. The leaves are rather small for a Mnium, only about 1.5mm long. The leaves are usually cuspidate, with a stout multicellulur hyaline point at the apex. The laminal cells are almost isodiametric, with some cells up to 1.5 times long as wide. The most interesting aspect of M. blytii is the presence of mnioindigon-- a pigment which causes a postmortal blue color change in collected specimens. The color change is spotty-- it isn't visible in every leaf, and may only be present in some regions of a leaf when it is visible. It can be rather subtle when seen in fresher specimens in wet mount, but apparently is more easily seen after treating the leaves with alcohol, followed by KOH and water. M. blytii
is found along streams at higher elevation in New Mexico.
We are very grateful to Terry McIntosh for confirming the ID of this specimen and for confirming that we are seeing the correct color change.
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Mnium blytii, collection and ID by Kelly Allred, Santa Fe County, Sangre de Cristo Mtns., Sante Fe National Forest, Santa Fe Ski Basin, around Aspen Basin Cmpgd., May 21, 2021, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard
Mnium blytii, collection and ID by Kelly Allred, Santa Fe County, Sangre de Cristo Mtns., Sante Fe National Forest, Santa Fe Ski Basin, around Aspen Basin Cmpgd., May 21, 2021, moist habit, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard
Mnium blytii, collection and ID by Kelly Allred, Santa Fe County, Sangre de Cristo Mtns., Sante Fe National Forest, Santa Fe Ski Basin, around Aspen Basin Cmpgd., May 21, 2021, photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard
Mnium blytii, collection and ID by Kelly Allred, Santa Fe County, Sangre de Cristo Mtns., Sante Fe National Forest, Santa Fe Ski Basin, around Aspen Basin Cmpgd., May 21, 2021, photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard
Mnium blytii, collection and ID by Kelly Allred, Santa Fe County, Sangre de Cristo Mtns., Sante Fe National Forest, Santa Fe Ski Basin, around Aspen Basin Cmpgd., May 21, 2021, photomicrograph of leaf cells and margin, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard
Mnium blytii, collection and ID by Kelly Allred, Santa Fe County, Sangre de Cristo Mtns., Sante Fe National Forest, Santa Fe Ski Basin, around Aspen Basin Cmpgd., May 21, 2021, photomicrograph of leaf cells (some faint blue postmortal color change is visible), photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard
