BRACHYTHECIACEAE 249 



slender, and the leaves small but easily seen, as they 

 are quite wide-spreading even when dry. The color 

 is usually dark green or olive-green. The branches 

 are numerous and short, resembling those of Plagio- 

 tlwcium striatcllum (p. 242), but the capsule is not so 

 slender as in Plagiothecium. See also Eurhynchium 

 (p. 252). 



Range J Canada and the northern United States; Europe; 

 Asia. 



Brachythecium acuminatum (Hedw.) Kindb. is the 

 one species with an erect capsule. It is rare in New 

 England, but more common in the South. It grows in 

 close mats on roots of trees, rocks, and decaying logs. 

 The general growth when dry is much like Entodon 

 seductrix (p. 190), but it is much less frequent, and usu- 

 ally the branches are not so smoothly cylindrical, and 

 the general color is not so golden-green, although some- 

 what light or yellowish-green. The leaves are straight, 

 closely folded, and too small to be seen easily without a 

 lens. 



The above descriptions are not given with the expec- 

 tation that the student will be able to determine spe- 

 cies, except possibly B. Starkei and B. rcjlcxum when 

 fruited, but rather to show the variations in the general 

 generic characteristics. 



