Home › Volumes › Mosses and Lichens › Herbarium

Catharine Mosses

Genus CATHARINEA, Ehrh.

The members of this genus will always attract attention from their habit of growing in extensive patches in partly shaded places. The leafy part of the plant is erect and large enough to form soft and luxuriantly green areas very conspicuous when beset with slender pedicels bearing either pale immature spore-cases or shining rich-coloured mature ones. The genus was founded by Friedrich Ehrhart in honour of Catharine II, Empress of Russia. The leaves are strap-shaped or oval-oblong, rich in leaf-green and wavy when fresh, and curled or twisted in various directions when dry; the apex is acute or obtuse and the base is not sheathing; the vein bears a few lamellae toward the apex.

The veils are split up one side and are sometimes rough.

The spore-cases are oval cylindrical, nodding, or arched, with long-beaked lids and are borne on long exserted pedicels.

The little column (columella) within the spore-case is terminated by a disk-like membrane (epiphragm).

The peristome is simple, of 32 tongue-like teeth united at the base; the tips are united by their inner faces to processes on the edge of the epiphragm so that the epiphragm hangs down from them by the length of the processes.

There are about forty-eight species known in all, nineteen being found in North America.

The Slender Catharinea, Catharinea angustata, Brid.--See Plate IV.

Habit and habitat.--Very common in conspicuous patches on the ground at the bases of trees, along roadsides, and in woods. The fruits and the bright red rosettes of the male plants may be found in winter. In cold or dry weather this moss curls up its leaves so as to protect the upper delicate surface from frost and too rapid evaporation.

Name.--The specific name angustata, the Latin for "narrowed," refers to the slender habit of the plant.

Plant (gametophyte).--Simple or forked, erect, bearing one to three spore-cases.

Leaves.--Long, narrowly strap-shaped, wavy on the borders. Apex serrate; base not sheathing; margin serrate only in the upper half. Lamellae 5 to 7.

Habit of flowering.--Dioicous, male flower on one plant, female flowers on another.

Veil (calyptra).--Membranous, split up one side, hairy at the summit.

Spore-case.--Nearly erect, narrowly cylindrical, green or dark-purple, shining.

Pedicel (seta).--Red, about one inch high.

Lid (operculum).--Dome-like, abruptly long-beaked.

Teeth (peristome).--Thirty-two, blunt, connected at the base, attached by the tips to the disk at the summit of the columella.

Spores.--Mature in winter.

Distribution.--North America, Europe, Asia.

The Wavy-leaved Catharinea, Catharinea undulata, Web. & Mohr.

Catharinea undulata differs from C. angustata in the leaves being more acute and with margins toothed throughout. Also it is a rather larger plant with less-prominent lamellae and with a monoicous inflorescence.