MOSSES WITH A HANI »- 1. ENS 



49 



PYLAISIELLA 



PYLAISIELLA affects the habitat of the Grimmia Family in 

 that it grows on the bark of living trees. It is readily dis- 

 tinguished from the members of that family by being 

 pleurocarpous, by the long exserted capsules, by the lighter green 



**W^ 





Fig. 41. Pylaisiella Schimperi X 10, wet and dry ; leaf < 20 ; capsule 10 



color, and by having the branches somewhat hooked at the end 

 when dry. Old apple trees in a rather dense orchard are a 

 favorite habitat of the Common Pylaisiella [P. Schimperi (R. & C. ) 

 Grout= Pjy/ a /s /a intricata of most authors] . It is also common on 

 trees in the open woods and can be found on the shade trees of 

 almost any of the smaller New England towns, but does not 

 seem to thrive near the large cities. The plants grow closely 

 interwoven and present the appearance represented in the figure 

 only when disentangled. The erect subcylindric capsules ma- 

 ture in autumn. 



