—15— 
gray-green and the leave$ have simple unbranched papillae. Anomodon rostraltis 
is a bright yellow-green, the leaves are somewhat opaque, and a strand, when 
held to the light, exhibits under the handlens, leaves with very slender apices. 
On the bases of trunks which at some seasons are submerged, one may note the 
more shaggy and thicker growth of Anomodon aitenuatiis and, to the North, the 
mat may prove by the fringed basal margin of the leaves to be Anomodon apic- 
ulatus. 
Or, the tree-bases may be clad with Leskeas. Leskea gracihscens with slen- 
der stems, the acute leaves closely appressed when dry, is the commonest species 
of the genus in our region, but Leskea ohscura, v/ith rounded leaves, coarser in 
appearance, is to be found too, and, towards the North and West, the more acumi> 
nate-leaved Leskea polycarpa. Only rarely do we find Leskea nervosa^ which is 
quite blackish in color and whose leaves have a distinctly excurrent nerve. 
You will soon realize that the rather glossy olive-green or brownish Plat- 
ygyrium repens also loves the base of trees, and you will find the species almost 
everywhere on such substrata, sometimes unmixed, sometimes with the glossy 
green Brachythecium acuminatum and other pleurocarpous mosses. All these 
bryophytes so far mentioned have straight, erect capsules, but one may find with 
them Amhlystegiella adnata and other Amblystegia whose capsules are gracefully 
arcuate, presenting a quite different appearance. It is an undertaking of some 
magnitude to become familiar with the moss-flora of tree-bases but perseverence 
sees the fruits, in more ways than one, and the day comes, after careful study, 
when typical Platygyrium, Amhlystegiella, and Stereodon reptilis may be differ^ 
entiated by the naked eye without much trouble. 
Farther up the trunk the mosses are quite different. Pylaisia Schimperi 
appears in ample mats of bright glossy green with the ends of the strands curved. 
The capsules, generally borne abundantly, are upright, brown in color, and the 
endostome of the peristome teeth is joined from tooth to tooth, forming little 
loops clearly seen under the microscope. If you are fortunate you may also 
find Homaloiheciella subcapillata, which is paler green without curved ends, the 
seta of the light brown sporophyte decidedly rough, while the abruptly acuminate 
leaves display a costa to one-half their length. 
Here appear the cushions, half-inch or more in diameter, of Ulota crispa 
and Ulota Ludwigii, covered with pale straw-colored capsules on short setae. 
The former has the leaves curled when dry, while the latter, commonly called 
the Puckered Ulota, has little tucks at the upper end of the capsule and the 
leaves are not crispate under any condition. With the Ulotas are found several 
common Orthotricha. Dr. Grout in his book tells how to determine them. 
Orihotrichum strangulatum with immersed furrowed capsules, constricted below 
the mouth when fully mature, chestnut-brown in color, and small, seems one of 
the most abundant species in our range, but sevcial others occur: Orihotrichum 
ohioense, with pale straw-colored capsules, a little larger than the first specius; 
Orihotrichum speciosum, much larger than any other species of the genus here- 
abouts, with more exserted capsules; and Orihotrichum sordidum with character- 
istics only evident under microscopic examination. 
