48 MOSSES WITH A HAND-LENS 



D. LONGIFOUUM Ehrh., the Long-leaved Dicranum. This 

 species grows only in rocky elevated regions, sometimes found 

 on the base of trees as well as the surrounding rocks. The 

 leaves are very long and narrowly acuminate so that the leaf 

 apices look somewhat like hairs, giving the plant a silky ap- 

 pearance, secund but scarcely crisped when dry with costa more 

 than y 2 the width of the leaf at base. A little above the base 

 the leaves are suddenly narrowed and in the upper part of the 

 leaf nothing but costa is left for the rest of the length of the 

 leaf. The capsules are cylindric and smooth; the spores mature 

 in summer. 



DICRANODONTIUM LONGiROSTRE is a moss very closely resem- 

 bling this species when without capsules, but the setae are very 

 long and curved so that the capsule is sometimes almost pendent. 



D. FLAGELLARE Hedw., the Flagellate Dicranum (PI. X), 

 has slender branchlets (flagella), with minute leaves, which 

 give it its name. It is one of our most common species and by 

 reason of its crisped leaves and narrow costa is not likely to be 

 confused with any of its group. The flagella are very charac- 

 teristic when present. It grows on decaying wood and peaty 

 banks in moist shady places everywhere. 



D. FULVUM Hook., the Fulvous Dicranum (PI. X). This 

 is the only other common Dicranum with erect capsules. It is 

 fulvous broztm in color, always growing on rocks. The leaves 

 are secund, somewhat crisped when dry, gradually narrowed 

 from a lanceolate base to an almost linear apex; margin serrate 

 in the upper 1-5 to 1-4. The costa is at least 1-3 the width of 

 the leaves at base, somewhat excurrent, toothed at back, with the 

 apices much more slenderly tubulose than in D. nagellare. 



The Flagellate and Fulvous Dicranums need never be con- 

 fused, for the former grows on rotten wood or peaty banks, while 

 the latter always grows on rocks. 



The Fulvous Dicranum is distinguished from the Long-leaved 

 by its color, its shorter leaves, and by growing at lower altitudes 

 in more shaded, less exposed localities. 



