Family HYPNACEAE 



A LARGE family widely distributed, found in all 

 kinds of places. 



59. AMBLYSTEGIUM Bryol. Eur. 

 (Am-bly-ste-gi-um) 



A genus of many species occurring chiefly in tem- 

 perate regions. Name derived from the Greek for 

 '^ blunt " and " roof," referring to the operculum. 



a. Plants fine, leaves very small, erect- spreading .... 



A. serpens, A. varium, etc. 



b. Plants coarser, leaves long, narrow, wide-spreading 



. . . . A. riparium and varieties. 



Plants growing in very thin mats at the base of trees, on 

 decaying logs, soil, and rocks in moist woods; dull or yellow- 

 ish-green; common; fruit common. 



Stems very slender, prostrate, irregu- 

 larly branched. 



Leaves straight, small and fine; erect- 

 spreading when moist, and usually 



Amblystesium serpens ^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^, ^^^^^^ 



against the stem when dry; dull or yellowish-green. 



Seta usually /4-i inch long; reddish. 



Capsule long-cylindrical, inclined, slender, usually muck 

 curved; reddish- or yellowish-brown; mature in summer. 



Operculum cone-shaped. 



Range, almost a cosmopolitan species. 



