ENTODONTACEAE 193 



microscopic characteristics of the peristome. Named 

 after De La P}'laie, a noted moss student. 



Plants growing in flat, dense mats on trees, less fre- 

 quently on decaying logs; light green . 

 or yellowish-green; common; fruit often ^' \ 

 abundant. ^^^^ \ 



Stems prostrate, creeping, irregularly ^^yXX 



pinnate; branches erect, short, about }i '^'"^^^ 



inch long, usually curved. „ , • • c- ; • . • 



°' ' Pylaisia Schtmpert 



Leaves straight or curved, S7nall, often ^ ^ , , 



^ I Branch enlarged. 



large enough to be seen when moist and 



S[)reading, usually turned in one direction, especially when 



dry; light or yellowish-green. 



Seta about ^ inch long; reddish. 



Capsule erect, cylindrical, slender; yellowish- or reddish- 

 brown; mature in autumn. 



Operculum cone-shaped. 



Range, Eastern and Middle States; one of our species, P. 

 Schimperi Card., also found in Europe and Asia. 



The distinguishing generic characteristics of Pylaisia 

 are the erect capsules, the rather light-green leaves, usu- 

 ally somewhat turned in one direction, especially when 

 dry, and the short, erect, curved branches, which give the 

 plants a soft, curly appearance. These last two charac- 

 teristics — leaves turned in one direction and branches 

 curved — are better seen when the plants arc dry, as in 

 moist plants both leaves and branches are straighter 

 and more spreading. Old apple trees and willows are 

 favorite habitats of Pylaisia. See Platygyrium, the 

 preceding genus, for comparison, which it most closely 



