6 MOSSES WITH A HAND-LENS 



elongated, slender with a tapering neck, and with a much longer 

 beak to the lid. The lid and the calyptra of the Ohio Hair -cap 

 fall early in June, very soon after the spores are ripe, and it is not 

 always easy to find either in position, but if the calyptra be found, 

 it will be seen to cover the upper portion of the capsule only. The 

 Common Hair-cap, although occurring in woods, is most common 

 in open fields; the Ohio Hair-cap being most frequent in shady, 

 more moist spots, often in deep woods. The remaining two spe- 

 cies are easily distinguished from the two mentioned above by the 

 margins of the leaves, which are thin and membranaceous, and 

 are folded in over the central portion of the leaf, as illustrated in 

 o, 6, and p. 



The Juniper Hair-cap resembles the Common very closely in 

 general appearance and is commonly confused with it, as it grows 

 in similar but usually drier situations. It is, however, lighter in 

 color, and a glance at the upper surface of the leaves under a lens 

 will serve to distinguish it without the shadow of a doubt. Its 

 capsules mature about the same time as those of the Common 

 Hair-cap, or slightly earlier. 



The Awned Hair-cap also has its leaves turned in at the 

 margin, but they differ in shape, as shown in the figure, and end 

 in long white awns. The entire plant is much smaller than any 

 of the other species, and grows in much drier places, the edges of 

 soil around ledges in rocky pastures being a favorite habitat. It 

 matures its capsules in June and July. I have found the Awned 

 Hair-cap on ledges next the bare rock, the Juniper Hair-cap a 

 little farther down but bordering on the Awned, and the Common 

 Hair-cap growing in moist depressions in the ledge partially filled 

 with soil. 



Those who climb mountains will be sure to find a fifth species, 

 the Erect Hair-cap, which is very common in boggy places at an 

 elevation of 3,000 feet or more. It is closely related to the 

 Juniper Hair-cap, but can readily be distinguished by the more 

 slender, densely radiculose stems and the much smaller capsules. 



Leaf margins serrate, not infolded, 2. 



Leaf margins entire, thin and infolded, .....'.. 3. 

 2. Capsules cubical, beak short, Common Hair-cap, 



{Polytr k hum commune L.). 



Capsule much longer than broad, beak long, neck taper- 

 ing, Ohio Hair-cap {P. O/iioe'nse'R.. & C.) 



