MNIACEAE 135 



Capsule inclined, horizontal or drooping; cylindrical; about 

 the same width throughout, without the smaller neck por- 

 tion as in Bryum (p. 129), Pohlia (p. 128), and Leptobryum 

 (p. 126); usually yellowish when mature in May or June, 

 sometimes growing darker with age, in some species with a 

 red band around the mouth. 



Operculum varying from convex to long-beaked. 



Range, a cosmopolitan genus. 



Additional characteristics seen with hand-lens: Leaves 

 sometimes bordered or toothed; teeth in some species 

 double; midrib occasionally extending beyond leaf; leaf- 

 cells large, nearly round; teeth of peristome long, slender. 

 (See Plate VI.) 



Mnium cuspidatum (L.) Leyss. (M. sylvaticum 

 Lindb.) (Plate VI, Fig. i) is a very common species 

 found in moist, shady places on lawns as well as in 

 woods; also on decaying logs and earth-covered rocks; 

 often fruiting freely. The leaves are medium-sized for 

 the genus, much crisped when dry, and vary in color 

 from light to dark green. The sterile shoots of this 

 species as well as of some others are sometimes long, 

 slender, and prostrate or inclined, often arched and 

 rooting at the tips. The fruit is borne singly. 



Additional characteristics seen with a hand-lens: 

 Leaves toothed only in the upper half; teeth single. 



Range, Newfoundland to Florida and west to the Pacific; 

 Europe ; Asia. 



Other species of Mnium, less frequent and occurring 

 only in moist woods, resemble M. cuspidatum in gen- 



