HYPNACEAE 



225 



68. HYLOCOMIUM Bryol. Eur. (Hy-lo-c6-mi-um) 



A small genus, three species occurring in our range. 

 Name derived from the Greek for an "inhabitant of 

 the woods." 



a. Leaves erect, usually too small to be seen easily, 

 except on the main stem. 



1. Stems regularly bipinnate or tripinnate, young 

 shoots at first only pinnate . ... II. prolifcrum. 



2. Stems pinnate or irregularly bipinnate .... 



//. umbratum. 



b. Leaves wide-spreading, easily seen; irregularly pin- 

 nate, or occasionally bipinnate . ... II. hrcvirostre. 



a. I 



Plants large, growing in 

 loose mats on the ground, on 

 decaying logs, on earth-cov- 

 ered rocks, and at the base of 

 trees in moist mountainous or 

 hilly woods; bright, yellowish- 

 or olive-green; common; fruit 

 occasional. 



Stems prostrate or ascend- 

 ing, 2-8 inches long ; bipin- 

 nately or tripinnately branched; 

 young shoots at first only pin- 

 nate, iJie no-V groiiih ascending 

 from the middle of the shoot 

 of the previous year. Stems 





'■-"mfr^p^ 



% 



■^ 



Uylocomium prolifcrum 



