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Comb Mosses

HYPNUM: Sub-genus CTENIUM

The species of the Sub-genus Ctenium are large and grow in loose tufts with stems erect or prostrate, rigid and compressed, simple and two-forked, closely and regularly feather-branched; the branches are fern-like and the branchlets close, resembling the teeth of a comb, a characteristic which has suggested the generic name from the Greek, a comb.

The leaves have longitudinal folds with the apex turned to one side.

The spore-cases are raised on long pedicels; they are cylindrical-oblong, arched, and with broadly conical lids tipped with a point.

The Knight's Plume Moss, Hypnum (Ctenium) cristacastrensis, L.--See Plate XXVIII.

Habit and habitat.--In loose, rigid, yellow-green tufts on decaying logs in mountainous regions.

Name.--The great Linnaeus named this pretty moss cristacastrensis from its resemblance to a military plume or crest--Latin crista, a crest, and castrensis, military.

Plant (gametophyte).--The stems prostrate, 3 to 5 inches long, the tips upright ; simple or twice-branched, closely and regularly feather-branched, the branches resembling a fern frond; branchlets close, diverging horizontally and curved back at the apex like a plume.

Leaves.--Stem-leaves broad, gradually long lance-like and taper-pointed, thin, turned to one side as a scythe blade, with longitudinal folds ; vein double or none ; margin sharply serrate from the middle upward.

Leaf-like organs (paraphyllia).--Numerous, long, narrowly lance-shaped.

Leaves at the base of the pedicel (perichaetial leaves).--Long, sheathing, white, veinless.

Habit of flowering.--Male and female flowers on separate plants (dioicous).

Veil (calyptra).--Thin, smooth, pointed and split up one side.

Spore-case.--Cylindrical-oblong, arched, green-brown when ripe, dirty-yellow when empty.

Pedicel (seta).--One-and-a-half to two inches long.

Lid (operculum).--Broadly conical, sharp-pointed.

Teeth (peristome).--The outer teeth orange below, pale, serrate, and awl-pointed above ; the inner teeth long-pointed and cleft ; cilia three or four, thick and as long as the teeth.

Annulus.--Simple and narrow.

Spores.--Mature in summer and autumn.

Distribution.--North America, Europe, Asia.

HYPNUM: Sub-genus EUHYPNUM

The plants of this group generally have creeping stems which are more or less regularly feather-branched. The leaves are usually scythe-shaped and turned to one side, ovate lanceolate below and narrowly taper-pointed. The vein (costa) is short and double or none. The cells are linear and narrow, 4-sided at the angles ; the inner leaves at the base of the pedicel are deeply folded; small leaf-like organs (paraphyllia) on the stem are few. The spore-cases are cylindrical-oblong on smooth pedicels ; the lids are large, from very acutely pointed to convex-conical. The prefix proper, indicates that this sub-genus is the most typical among the different groups of Hypnum.

Hypnum (Euhypnum) reptile, Michx.--See Plate XXVII.

Habit and habitat.--Found in pale- or dusky-green, wide and loose tufts on the bark of living or decayed trees. Common and variable in sub-alpine regions, rare in the plains except northward.

Name.--From the Latin reptilio, creeping.

Plant (gametophyte).--Drooping, stems branching, the branches feather-branched, the branchlets erect and incurved.

Leaves.--Crowded, concave, long taper-pointed from an oblong base; margin sharply serrate above, flat or recurved below; vein double, short, yellowish; leaf-like organs (paraphyllia) on the stem, few and very small, lance-shaped or palm-like.

Leaves at the base of the pedicel (perichaetial leaves).--The inner long, taper-pointed, longitudinally grooved with double vein and toothed apex.

Habit of flowering.--Male and female flowers on the same stems, (monoicous).

Veil (calyptra).--Thin, split up one side.

Spore-case.--Somewhat erect, cylindrical, yellowish, curved when dry.

Pedicel.--Smooth.

Lid (operculum).--Large, yellow, shortly beaked from a highly convex base.

Teeth (peristome).--Long taper-pointed, orange at the base, segments of the inner membrane cleft between the cross bars; cilia shorter than the segments.

Annulus.--Large, compound.

Spores.--Mature in August.

Distribution.--North America and Europe.

Hypnum imponens, Hedw.--See Plate XXIX.

Habit and habitat.--This moss is exceedingly handsome, growing in flat yellowish-green tufts on decayed trunks and about the bases of trees.

Plant ) gametophyte).--Prostrate, stems feather-branched.

Leaves.--The stem-leaves overlapping, lying in two rows on the lower side, base broadly ovate, orange, at the angles minutely ear-like ; apex thread-like, and turned to one side ; borders reflexed below, minutely toothed all around or almost entire ; vein double or none ; cells very narrow, linear, somewhat worm-like, enlarged, and 4-sided at the basilar angles, the branch-leaves narrower, hooked, and rolled together at the apex of the branches ; the leaf-like appendages (paraphyllia) attached to the stem, large, palm-like or lance-like.

Leaves at the base of the pedicel (perichaetial leaves).--Without a vein, gradually narrowed to a long thread-like flexuous and finely toothed point.

Habit of flowering.--Male and female flowers on separate plants (dioicous).

Veil (calyptra).--Thin, split up one side.

Spore-case.--Cylindrical, pale-brown, somewhat erect or slightly incurved.

Pedicel (seta).--Long and slender.

Lid (operculum).--Convex, with an oblique point, orange at the apex.

Teeth (peristome).--Inner segments slightly cleft and as long as the cilia; outer, normal, cilia single, with small transverse spurs attached to the margin.