KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF MOSSES. 



In using these keys the student is advised to turn to the 

 illustrations in the main part of the book, to explain any of the 

 characters used in the key that are not otherwise perfectly clear. 

 A free use of the glossary is also suggested. 



PAGE 



1. Plants whitish or light gray, scarcely appearing 



green 2. 



Plants green, yellow-green, or dark green to 

 almost black 3. 



2. Plants of bogs; capsules nearly globular, ovoid 



when dry and empty, without peristome 

 Sphagnaceae. u 



Plants of moist shady places, growing in dense 

 tufts or cushions; capsules elongated, with 



a peristome Leucobryum in Dicranaceae. 50 



3. Leaves in two rows, with edges apparently to- 

 wards the stem 4.* 



Leaves in more than two rows, or if apparently 

 two ranked, the edges of the leaves are not 

 toward the stem 5. - 



4. Leaves apparently split on the inner edge and 



sheathing each other and the stem, costate; 



peristome present Fissidentaceac. 30 



Leaves ecostate, not split at base, but forming a 

 continuous wing-margin along the stem in 



the sterile plants ; peristome lacking 



Schistostegaceae. 86 



5. Acrocarpous 6. 



Pleurocarpous 20. 



6. Plants black or blackish green; leaves opaque 



or nearly so because of the very thick cell- 

 walls ; growing on trees or rocks 7. 



Plants green to light yellow-green, or, if black- 

 ish, growing on soil 9. 



*Some hepatics will be sought here. 



