Plants of the Gila Wilderness

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

Syntrichia sinensis (Müll. Hal.) Ochyra

Family: Pottiaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Tortula sinensis (Müll. Hal.) Broth.
Barbula sinensis Müll. Hal.

Syntrichia sinensis has leaves bearing a short awn, margins that are recurved to about midleaf, and a costa with obvious hydroids. These features taken together set it apart from our other New Mexico Syntrichia species. This species is probably commonly overlooked. It also has a stem central strand as well as a cells with a jumble of several strangely-shaped papillae.

Many thanks to the University of Colorado Herbarium, Erin Tripp, and Dina Clark for permitting us to photograph this specimen.

Please click on an image for a larger file.



Syntrichia sinensis (photomicrograph dry), collection and ID by Tass Kelso (verified by W.A. Weber, 2007), Colorado, El Paso County, Williams Canyon W of Colorado Springs, on sandstone cliffs, June 25, 2001; photos by Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, February 9, 2023



Syntrichia sinensis, photomicrograph of dry calyptra and capsules with peristome missing, collection and ID by Tass Kelso (verified by W.A. Weber, 2007), Colorado, El Paso County, Williams Canyon W of Colorado Springs, on sandstone cliffs, June 25, 2001; photos by Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, February 9, 2023



Syntrichia sinensis, photomicrograph of wetted stem, collection and ID by Tass Kelso (verified by W.A. Weber, 2007), Colorado, El Paso County, Williams Canyon W of Colorado Springs, on sandstone cliffs, June 25, 2001; photos by Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, February 9, 2023



Syntrichia sinensis, photomicrograph of leaf, collection and ID by Tass Kelso (verified by W.A. Weber, 2007), Colorado, El Paso County, Williams Canyon W of Colorado Springs, on sandstone cliffs, June 25, 2001; photos by Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, February 9, 2023



Syntrichia sinensis, photomicrograph of leaf apex, collection and ID by Tass Kelso (verified by W.A. Weber, 2007), Colorado, El Paso County, Williams Canyon W of Colorado Springs, on sandstone cliffs, June 25, 2001; photos by Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, February 9, 2023



Syntrichia sinensis, photomicrograph of leaf basal window, collection and ID by Tass Kelso (verified by W.A. Weber, 2007), Colorado, El Paso County, Williams Canyon W of Colorado Springs, on sandstone cliffs, June 25, 2001; photos by Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, February 9, 2023



Syntrichia sinensis, photomicrograph of leaf base, collection and ID by Tass Kelso (verified by W.A. Weber, 2007), Colorado, El Paso County, Williams Canyon W of Colorado Springs, on sandstone cliffs, June 25, 2001; photos by Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, February 9, 2023



Syntrichia sinensis, photomicrograph of pluripapillose laminal cells, collection and ID by Tass Kelso (verified by W.A. Weber, 2007), Colorado, El Paso County, Williams Canyon W of Colorado Springs, on sandstone cliffs, June 25, 2001; photos by Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, February 9, 2023



Syntrichia sinensis, photomicrograph of pluripapillose laminal cells, collection and ID by Tass Kelso (verified by W.A. Weber, 2007), Colorado, El Paso County, Williams Canyon W of Colorado Springs, on sandstone cliffs, June 25, 2001; photos by Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, February 9, 2023



Syntrichia sinensis, photomicrograph of cross section of stem with central strand, collection and ID by Tass Kelso (verified by W.A. Weber, 2007), Colorado, El Paso County, Williams Canyon W of Colorado Springs, on sandstone cliffs, June 25, 2001; photos by Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, February 9, 2023



Syntrichia sinensis, photomicrograph of cross section of stem with central strand, collection and ID by Tass Kelso (verified by W.A. Weber, 2007), Colorado, El Paso County, Williams Canyon W of Colorado Springs, on sandstone cliffs, June 25, 2001; photos by Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, February 9, 2023



Syntrichia sinensis, photomicrograph of cross section of costa showing hydroids, collection and ID by Tass Kelso (verified by W.A. Weber, 2007), Colorado, El Paso County, Williams Canyon W of Colorado Springs, on sandstone cliffs, June 25, 2001; photos by Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, February 9, 2023



Syntrichia sinensis, photomicrograph of cross section of leaf, collection and ID by Tass Kelso (verified by W.A. Weber, 2007), Colorado, El Paso County, Williams Canyon W of Colorado Springs, on sandstone cliffs, June 25, 2001; photos by Russ Kleinman and Karen Blisard, February 9, 2023


Back to the Index