132 HOW TO KNOW THE MOSSES 



Plants growing loosely together or scattered, sometimes 

 singly with other mosses; found in moist woods on the 

 ground, on decaying logs, and on earth-covered rocks; 

 dark green; frequent; fruit occasional. 



Steyns erect, >^-i/^ inches long; growing 

 from underground runners (stolons); appar- 

 ently leafless below the tip, as the lower leaves 

 are small and scale-like. 



Leaves broad, flat; dark green; when moist, 

 forming a large rosette at the end of the stem; 

 when dry, somewhat crisped and folded to- 

 gether, so that the rosette becomes more like 

 a thick bud. 



Seta usually i-iK inches long; sometimes 

 two or three on one plant; reddish. 

 Capsule large, cylindrical, horizontal or 

 drooping; yellowish- or reddish-brown, with red band at 

 mouth when young; mature in autumn. 

 Operculum cone-shaped. 



Range, southeastern Canada and northeastern United 

 States. 



Additional characteristics seen with hand-lens. Leaves 

 toothed in upper part, midrib extending a little beyond tip, 

 tip often twisted, leaf-cells large; peristome- teeth long, 

 large. 



If one has become familiar with the illustration of 

 Rhodobryum it will be easy to recognize this moss 

 without having to use the Key. The broad, flat rosettes 

 when moist and wide open, often measuring fully 

 % inch across, quickly attract the eye. No other 

 moss forms such conspicuous rosettes except possibly 

 Mnium, the following genus. The rosettes of Mnium 



