198 HOW TO KNOW THE MOSSES 



55. ANOMODON Hook. & Tayl. (A-nom-o-don) 



A genus containing many species confined to the 

 Northern Hemisphere. Name derived from the Greek 

 for " not," " law," and " tooth," referring to the peri- 

 stome, which was at first considered abnormal. 



Plants usually growing in thick mats; found chiefly at the 

 base of trees, more rarely on rocks; bright, olive, or dark 

 green, becoming yellowish or brownish with age; common; 

 fruit rare. 



Primary stems creeping, usually leafless; secondary stems 

 erect or ascending, irregularly branched; branches }i-i inch 

 long. 



Leaves straight ; generally spreading when moist; more or 

 less folded when dry; sometimes too small to be seen easily; 

 bright, olive, or dark green. 



Seta y2-i inch long; reddish or yellowish. 



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

 mature in autumn. 



Operculum short or long-beaked. 



a. Leaves usually too small to he seen; closely folded, es- 

 pecially when dry; usually bright green, except when 

 very old . . . . A. rostratus. 

 h. Leaves usually easily seen; wide- spreading when moist ; 

 somewhat folded when dry; usually olive or dark green, 

 except when very old .... 



A. attenuatus. 

 A. minor. 

 A. apiculatus. 



