HYPNACEAE 



209 



Amblystegium serpens (L.) Bryol. Eur. is the small- 

 est species and is a very common one. It not infre- 

 quently grows mixed with other mosses, but it is dis- 

 tinguished by the very slender, delicate stems, often 

 abundantly fruited. Amblystegium varium (Hedw.) 

 Lindb. somewhat resembles A, serpens, except that it 

 is a little larger in every way. Other small species of 

 Amblystegium are sometimes found, but they are not 

 easily separated. All are characterized by the very 

 slender stems and branches and by the capsule strongly 

 curved when mature. 



Plants growing in soft, flat mats on earth, stones, or roots 

 of trees in swamps, sometimes floating in running water; 

 bright or yellowish-green; not common, and 

 not often fruiting. 



Stems sletider, usually 3-5 inches long; 

 branches horizontally spreading. 



Leaves straight, long, narrow, ending in a 

 fine tip; wide-spreading, somewhat separated; 

 bright or yellowish-green. 



Seta about i inch long; reddish. 



Capsule long-cylindrical, inclined, curved; 

 mature in late spring. 



Operculum cone-shaped. 



Range, almost a cosmopolitan species. 



AmblysUi^ium 

 riparium 



Amblystegium riparium (L.) Bryol. Eur. and the 

 varieties occur in very wet places, or e\cn in streams. 

 They are distinguished from other mosses growing in 



