MOSSES WITH A HAND-LENS 



The Wavy Catharinea is one of the very common mosses, 

 occurring everywhere in eastern North America. It seems to 

 be rather rare on Long Island, but in most parts of the country 

 it is exceedingly common. It grows best on moist shady banks 

 of brooks. It can easily be recognized by its long slender 

 slightly curved capsules, leaves strongly crisped when dry, and the 

 narrow midrib due to few and short lamellae. (See glossary). 



C. ANGUSTATA Brid., Narrow-leaved Catharinea, resembles 

 the Wavy Catharinea very closely, but grows in dryer, more 

 sandy soil, and is usually much smaller with narrower straighter 

 capsules, as shown in the cut. The only sure way to distinguish 

 them is by the leaves. The differences are shown in the cut. 

 Although the leaf of the Narrow-leaved Catharinea is narrower, 

 the midrib is much broader, constituting one-third to one-quarter 

 the breadth of the leaf. 



C. CRISPA James is a rare 

 species in most parts of the 

 country, but it is common in 

 swamps along the south shore 

 of Long Island. It will prob- 

 ably be found fairly common 

 along the Middle Atlantic 

 coast. 



Its leaves are oval-oblong, 

 thrice as broad in proportion to 

 their length as those of C. un- 

 dulata, not at all wavy when 

 moist, and not spinose upon 

 the back; the lamellae appear 

 as darker lines on the costa, 



i/l but do not materially increase 



its apparent width. The capsule 

 is much shorter than in either 

 FIGURE 5. 

 Catharinea crispa, x i. of the other species. When 



sterile, this species is almost sure to be mistaken for a Mnium. 



