26 



MOSSES WITH A HAND-LENS 



THE BARTRAMIAS 



THE Bartramias grow in moist niches in cliffs and on moist 

 shady banks, looking much like tufts of green wool. The 

 characteristic thing about them is their capsules, which 

 are globular and somewhat unsymmetric when moist, but dry 



Fig. 22. a, Bartramia pomiformis X i. b, B. Oederi X i. c. Capsule of 

 B.pomiformis X 10, and e, Mouth of same with operculum, d, Capsule of 

 B. Oederi X 10. f and g, Leaves of B. pomiformis and B. Oederi respec- 

 tively, X 10. 



with regular folds and alternate ridges. When very dry the body 

 of the capsule becomes so shrunken as to be smaller than the 

 mouth of the capsule itself. 



We have two species, the Long-leaved Bartramia or Apple 

 Moss [B. pomiformis (L. ) Hedw.], easily distinguished by its 

 longer leaves and larger capsnle from the Short-leaved Bartramia 

 [B. Oederi (Gunn.) Svvartz]. The leaves of the Long-leaved 

 Bartramia are also much more contorted or crisped when dry. It 

 is common throughout our range whenever the country affords 

 a suitable habitat, but the Short-leaved Bartramia is rather rare. 

 The difference between the species is so marked that they cannot 

 be confused. 



Both species mature their capsules in spring; the Long- 

 leaved Bartramia in April or early May, and the Short-leaved 

 two or three weeks later. 



