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Looked at from above, has the outline of a star with many rays, or looked 

 at from the side, resembles tiny spruce or pine trees. Stems erect, usually 

 not branched; leaves bright green, glaucous green or dark green; plants 

 growing on the soil, on earth-covered rocks, old stumps and upturned 



roots Catharinaea, Polytrichum. 



Plants growing from protonema, a green or brownish coating on the sur- 

 face of the soil Buxbaumia, Pogonatum 



Color of stem. — Stems of most mosses are concealed by leaves, or are brown 

 and inconspicuous. 



Stems showing red through the leaves especially in the new growth when 



moist plants are held to the light Pohlia, Bryum. 



Stems at least in the lower part covered with tomentum, a felt-like mass of 



brown or whitish radicles Dicranum, Mnium, Aulacomniumy 



Bartramia, Philonotis, Polytrichum. 



Shape of leaves — 



Leaves too small or too closely folded to be seen easily. 



Capsule almost concealed by leaves Grimmia. 



Capsule erect Ditrichum, Orthotrichum, Georgia, Pogonatum. 



Capsule not erect Funaria, Bryum, Philonotis. 



Leaves conspicuously long and narrow. 



Capsule erect. .Ditrichum, Dicranella, Dicranum, Ulota, Catharinaea, 



Pogonatum, Polytrichum. 

 Capsule not erect. .Dicranella, Dicranum, Leucobryum, Aulacomnium, 



Bartramia, Catharinaea, Polytrichum. 

 Leaves conspicuously short and broad. 



Capsule erect Fissidens, Rhacomitrium, Physcomitrium, 



Capsule not erect Fissidens, Rhodobryum, Mnium. 



Position of leaves. — Leaves of most mosses arg arranged equally around the 

 stem and branches and are erect or spreading. 



Leaves more or less turned to one side (secund) . . . .Dicranella, Dicranum. 

 Leaves in two rows on opposite sides of stem, giving the plants a flattened 



appearance Fissidens. 



hesives forming a rosette at tip of stem. . .Leptobryum, Rhodobryum, Mnium. 



Catharinaea, Polytrichum, (Sphagnum). 



Leaves undulate or wavy Dicranum, Catharinaea. 



Leaves conspicuously crisped when dry. 



Capsule erect Dicranum, Fissidens, Tortella, 



Barbula, Ulota, Catharinaea. 



Capsule not erect Dicranum, Fissidens, Rhodobryum, 



Mnium, Bartramia, Catharinaea. 

 Leaves conspicuously folded straight when dry. 



Capsule partly concealed by surrounding leaves 



Grimmia, Orthotrichum. 



Capsule erect Ditrichum, Rhacomitrium, Orthotrichum, Ulota, 



Georgia. 



Capsule not erect Ceratodon, Pohlia, Bryum, Pogonatum-, 



Polvtrichum. 



