LESKEACEAE 205 



stems in Ilylocomium do not root and then continue 

 growth, as in Thuldium, and long portions of the stems 

 can be pulled out, as the plants grow in looser mats. 

 The leaves on the stems of Hylocomium are large 

 enough to be seen easily, while those on the stems of 

 Thuidium are too small to be seen without the aid of a 

 lens. 



58. HELODIUM (SuU.) Warnst. (He-16-di-um) 



A very small genus ; two species occur in the North- 

 ern and Middle States. Name derived from the Greek 

 for ''swamp," referring to the natural locality of the 

 plants. 



Plants growing on the ground in swamps and hogs; light 

 or yellowish-green; not very common; fruit rare. 



Sola long, i-i/^ inches; reddish. 



Capside long-cylindrical, curved, inclined; mature in 

 summer. 



Opercidum cone-shaped. 



a. Stems erect, stiff, regularly and closely pinnate. 

 Leaves straight, erect; usually too small to be seen 



easily . . . . H. lanatum. 



b. Stems prostrate, soft, slender, irregularly and distantly 



pinnate. 

 Leaves smaW, hut easily seen, straight, spreading . . . . 



H, paludosum. 



