Catharine Mosses 



Apex of leaf. 



C ' . angustata. 

 Leaf. 



There are about forty-eight species known in all, nineteen 

 being found in North America. 



The Slender Catharinea, Catharinea angustata, Brid. See 

 Plate IV. 



Habit and habitat. Very com- 

 mon in conspicuous patches on the 

 ground at the bases of trees, along 

 roadsides, and in 

 woods. The fruits 

 and the bright red 

 rosettes of the male 

 plants may be found 

 in winter. In cold 

 or dry weather this 

 moss curls up its 

 leaves so as to protect the upper deli- 

 cate surface from frost and too 

 rapid evaporation. 



Name. The specific name 

 angustata, the Latin for "narrow- 

 ed," refers to the slender habit of 

 the plant. 



Plant (gametophyte). Simple or 

 forked, erect, bearing one to three 

 spore-cases. 



Leaves. Long, narrowly strap- 

 Male plant shaped, wavy on the borders. Apex 

 serrate; base not sheathing; mar- 

 gin serrate only in the upper half. Lamellae 5 to 7. 



Habit of flowering. Dioicous, male flower on one plant, 

 female flowers on another. 



Veil (calyptra). Membranous, split up one side, hairy at the 

 summit. 



Spore-case. Nearly erect, narrowly cylindrical, green or dark- 

 purple, shining. 



Pedicel (seta). Red, about one inch high. 

 Lid (operculum}. Dome-like, abruptly long-beaked. 

 Teeth (peristome). Thirty-two, blunt, connected at the 

 base, attached by the tips to the disk at the summit of the 

 columella. 



241 



Female plant. 



C. angustata. 



