72 MOSSES WITH A HAND-LENS 



rather infrequently. This species is of almost world-wide dis- 

 tribution. 



The large size of the plants and the long-linear or lance-linear 

 slenderly acuminate leaves, much crisped when dry, make the 

 species easy of recognition. 



TORTULA. The Twisted Mosses. 



The Twisted Mosses are large for the family and are easily 

 recognized by the tongue-shaped leaves with long excurrent, 

 hairlike costa, and long twisted peristome. To make out these 

 characters satisfactorily it is best to mount the parts on a 

 microscopic slide. In all the species except T. muralis the 

 basal part of the peristome is tubular. 



The Twisted Mosses are not common, and the person who 

 gets good fruiting material has cause for congratulation. 



T. MURALIS (L.) Hedw. The botanical name of this plant is 



FIGURE 26. Reaves, leaf sections, and radicles of Tortula muralis. (From 

 Bry. Eur.). 



