MOSS HABITATS. 271 



MOSS HABITATS. 



BY JAMES E. BAGNALL. 



The habitats or natiu'al homes of mosses are very varied. In fact 

 mosses may be found everywhere in country districts, so that banks, 

 trees, woods, fields, heath lands, walls, marshes, bogs, and other watery 

 places all have their several mossy inhabitants. Though in many 

 instances mosses show some degree of preference for particular habitats, 

 no positive line of demarcation can be drawn with regard to the habitats 

 of some species. Ceratodoii, for example, seems to be at home in every locality, 

 whilst others, such as the Sphagnums and many of the Orthot rich urns, &c., 

 are truly selective with regard to their haunts. Hence, I can only indicate 

 the most hkely mosses to be found in particular habitats. In many 

 instances the same plants may be found flourishing in equal abundance 

 in a variety of habitats. I have already mentioned Geratodon }}urpureus, 

 as a moss to be found everywhere. It is abundant on heathy waysides 

 and on old walls, thatched roofs, and even on trees it is no less plentiful. 



Banks, whether sandy, marly, or calcareous, are the favourite haunts 

 of many mosses, and if we examine a damp sandy bank between 

 February and April we shaU be almost sui'e to find the dark green silky 

 masses of Dicranella hetewmalla, easily known by its terminal fruitstalk, 

 which is pale in colour and is abruptly bent back just below the capsule. 

 The leaves will be found to be very narrow and all curved in one 

 direction, and the capstde surmounted by a hd having a longish beak,* 

 [Plate rV., fig. 13 a,] the peristome or fringe [Fig. 12 b] consists of 

 sixteen teeth, each of which is spht half way down. 



In like places we shall also find Weissia controversa, which has 

 straighter leaves, with the margins rolled over towards the upper surface, 

 erect oval capsules, lid with a long straight beak, and a fringe of sixteen 

 rudimentary teeth ; when dry the leaves will be found to be much 

 twisted. Smaller tufts of the apple moss, Bartramia pomiformis, may 

 also be found, and may be known even when barren by its glaucous green 

 foUage. The capsules of this moss are apple shaped, and surmounted by 

 a shghtly convex hd. The fruit ripens in early summer. 



Hypnum pralongum will be frequently seen fruiting about November, 

 but very often barren. In the barren state it may be known by its long 

 trailing feathery stems, which, however, vary very much in habit. 

 When in fruit it will be known by its long roughened fruit stalks, 

 (which are lateral as in all Hypnums,) [Fig. 5 a,] curved capsules, and lid 

 with a long cm-ved beak, [Fig. 13 a,] the fringe is in two rows, an outer 

 one formed of sixteen teeth, and an inner paler membranous one, 

 divided into sixteen tooth-like processes. Hypnum rutabulum, another of 

 the feather mosses, is more robust, has heart-shaped leaves, roughened 

 fruit-stalk, and a shorter conical lid. Hypnum velutinum is much smaller, 

 and has narrower lance-shaped leaves, and is more velvety looking ; 

 whilst Hypnum confertum, which is constantly associated with the above, 



*A1I the references in this article are to Plate IV., facing page 193. 



