Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

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

Weissia controversa Hedwig

Family: Pottiaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Gymnostomum rauanum Austin
Mollia viridula (Withering) Lindberg
Weissia andrewsii E.B. Bartram
Weissia brandegeei Austin
Weissia controversa Hedwig var. australis (Austin) Schornherst
Weissia controversa Hedwig var. longiseta (Lesquereux & James) H.A. Crum, Steere, L.E. Anderson
Weissia controversa Hedwig var. wolfii (Lesquereux & James) H.A. Crum, Steere, L.E. Anderson
Weissia longiseta Lesquereux & James
Weissia microodonta Hedwig
Weissia viridula var. nitida Renauld & Cardot
Weissia wolfii Lesquereux & James

Weissia controversa looks very similar to Weissia ligulifolia. The apex on Weissia controversa is acute, instead of rounded-acute as on Weissia ligulifolia. Otherwise the two mosses look very similar, so much so that Flowers considers them part of an intergrading set of species. Weissia controversa is found at middle to upper elevation in Ponderosa Pine forest on rocks and on soil immediately around them.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Weissia controversa (3x macro, wet), photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos Peak, February 12, 2011



Weissia controversa, 3x macro, dry, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos Peak, February 12, 2011



Weissia controversa, 40x photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos Peak, February 12, 2011



Weissia controversa, 100x photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos Peak, February 12, 2011



Weissia controversa, 200x photomicrograph of lefa tips, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos Peak, February 12, 2011



Weissia controversa, 400x photomicrograph of leaf tip, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos Peak, February 12, 2011



Weissia controversa, 400x photomicrograph of cross section near leaf apex, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos Peak, February 12, 2011


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