Mosses and Lichens 



Lid (operculum). Long-beaked. 



Teeth (peristome). Showy, red, two- or three-forked to the 

 middle. 



Annulus. Simple, very narrow. 



Spares. Mature from November to February. 



Distribution. North America, Europe and Asia. 



a e d e f 



D.heteromalla. (a) Spore-case with veil; (b) veil; (c) and (d) spore-cases with lid; () spore- 

 case with peristome; (f) portion of peristome. 



FORK-MOSSES 

 Genus DICRANUM, Hedw. 



The species of this genus are universally distributed, and 

 include some of our most easily recognised mosses. They 



usually grow in dense tufts or 

 cushions on the ground or on 

 old decaying logs or even on 

 rocks. About two hundred and 

 thirty-four species are known in 

 all ; about sixty-three are found 

 in North America, six of these 

 within the limits of New York 

 City. Their showy dark-green 

 or glossy yellow-green cushions 

 are often conspicuous in damp 

 shady places and consist of 

 numerous more or less erect and 

 forking stems, often crowded 

 together and covered with a felt of reddish hairs at least below, 

 with lance-shaped often curved leaves above that spread all 

 about the stem or turn to one side. 



152 



Tuft of Dicranum scoparium 



