i88 



HOW TO KNOW THE MOSSES 



along mountain and hill streams. It has been found in 

 Worcester County, Massachusetts, growing on rocks 

 in an old well in the woods ; not common. 



Plants large, growing in loose clusters ; rather bright green ; 

 fruit rare. 



Primary sterns creeping; secondary stems erect or ascending, 

 2-3 inches long; branches only toward the ends of the stems; 

 somewhat tree-like in arrange- 

 ment ; spreading when moist; 

 more erect when dry, and often 

 curved and turned to one side. 

 Leaves easily seen, straight; 

 spreading when moist ; more erect 

 when dry; rather bright green. 



Seta short, curved; reddish- 

 brown. 



Capsule long-cylindrical, in- 

 clined; reddish-brown; mature 

 in autumn. 



Operculum short-beaked. 

 Range, Nova Scotia to Min- 



Thamnium alleghaniense neSOta, SOUth tO the Gulf States. 



Thamnium alleghaniense is a conspicuous moss, 

 rarely found, but easily known from the illustration 

 and description. The erect tree-like growth is some- 

 what like Climacium (p. 179), but the branches when 

 moist spread out on either side of the stem; when dry, 

 turn to one side instead of remaining equally spread 

 all around the stem, as in Climacium. Thamnium 

 grows on rocks and is rare, while Climacium grows on 

 the ground, and is common. 



