54 



MOSSES WITH A HAND-LENS 



THE LEUCODONS 



LIKE Neckera, Leucodon grows some little distance upon the 

 trunks of deciduous trees. It is often difficult to collect 

 because it grows beyond one's reach. The branches hang 

 downward and outward, and sometimes have an upward curve at 



Fig. 44. a, Leucodon brachypus X 1. b, Leaf X zo. c, Sporophyte X 10. 

 d, Leaf of L. julaceus X 20. e, Sporophyte X 10. f, Capsule X 10. 



the end. The cut shows the usual position of the branches. The 

 sporophyte takes the direction of that part of the branch from 

 which it springs. The perichsetial leaves are very long, and 

 in one species at least, partially cover the capsule, although 

 the seta is of considerable length. The branches, however, are 

 very unlike those of Neckera in that they are nearly or quite 

 terete and also julaceous. 



We have two species of Leucodon that are common in por- 

 tions of our range, the Northern Leucodon (Z. brachypus 

 Brid.), which is common in the cool forests of the North, and the 

 Southern Leucodon [L. julaceus ( Hedw. ) Sulliv.] , which is much 



