226 HOW TO KNOW THE MOSSES 



showing red through the leaves in the new growth when 

 moist plants are held to the light. 



Leaves straight, small on short branches; larger on stems 

 and longer branches; erect. 



Seta about i inch long; reddish-brown. 



Capsule short-cylindrical, inclined; reddish-brown; ma- 

 ture in spring. 



Operculum short-beaked. 



Range, Arctic America, Canada, and the northern United 

 States; Europe; Asia; Africa. 



Hylocomium proliferum (L.) Lindb. {Hylocomium 

 splendens (Hedw.) Bryol. Eur.) is the most frequent 

 and most conspicuous species of this genus. An exten- 

 sive growth sometimes carpets the ground in cool, 

 moist woods or covers the surface of large boulders or 

 ledges. It more rarely occurs at the base of trees. If 

 carefully collected, the stems will show each year's 

 growth starting from the center of the shoot of the 

 previous year. This is less distinct in the fruited speci- 

 mens. Very young shoots are bright green, stiff, erect, 

 at first only pinnately branched, eventually becoming 

 bipinnate and tripinnate, with leaves large enough to 

 be seen easily. This growth usually starts from the 

 center of the shoot of the previous year, but some- 

 times it develops on an older part of the stem, 

 and then the stem becomes divided. The most dis- 

 tinguishing characteristic of this species is the hi- 

 pinnate or tripinnate branching, which gives the moss 

 a fern-like appearance. For comparison with Thu- 



