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Herbarium — Part 21

There are forty-nine species known in all, eleven being found in North America.

Anomodon rostratus, Schimp.

Habit and habitat.--Densely tufted, bright green at the surface, yellow-brown within. Growing on trees, roots, and limestone rocks.

Name.--The specific name rostratus, beaked, refers to the lid.

Plant (gametophyte).--Primary stems brittle and bearing numerous thread-like branches, forming dense tufts.

Leaves.--Dense, overlapping as shingles, lance-shaped; apex long-pointed; vein solid, vanishing below the apex; base oval.

Leaves at the base of the pedicel (perichoetial leaves).-- Long, white and thin; apex of the inner leaves narrowed into a thread-like, reflexed point as long as the leaf-blade.

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

Veil (calyptra).--Split up one side.

Spore-case.--Red-brown, oval-oblong.

Pedicel (seta).--Short.

Lid (operculum).--Long-beaked.

Teeth (peristome).--The segments of the inner membrane about as long as the teeth, keeled, dirty-yellow, with cilia between, solitary, rudimentary or none.

Spores.--Mature in Fall.

Distribution.--North America, Europe and Asia.

Anomodon attenuatus, Hueben.

Habit and habitat.--In loose wide tufts on roots of trees and on rocks along streams; common.

Name.--The specific name attenuatus, slender, refers to the branches.

Plants (gametophyte).--Irregularly branched and intricate, the branches short and rather obtuse; 1 to 2 inches high, or elongated and whip-like with minute leaves.

Leaves.--Spreading or turned to one side; oblong lance-shaped from a widely oval base; apex acute with a tiny sharp point; base narrow at the point of attachment and growing slightly down the stem; margin plane, minutely wavy, with papillae; vein translucent, vanishing below the apex; surfaces densely covered with tiny protuberances.

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

Veil (calyptra).--Split up one side.

Pedicel (seta).--Twisted, 3/4 of an inch long.

Spore-case.--Red-brown, shining, cylindrical, straight or slightly curved.

Lid (operculum).--Conic and beaked.

Teeth (peristome).--Narrowly lance-shaped; segments of the inner membrane, thread-like, fragile and irregular.

Annulus.--Narrow.

Spores.--Mature in autumn, not found in Britain.

Distribution.--North America, Europe and Asia.

Anomodon apiculatus, Bruch & Schimp.--See Plate XXII.

Habit and habitat.--Loosely and widely tufted on trees and rocks in mountains.

Name.--The specific name apiculatus from the Latin apex, apicis, refers to the short-pointed leaves.

Plants (gametophyte).--Green, with a bloom, dirty-red when old. Primary stems prostrate and whip-like; secondary stems straight, simple or divided at the base.

Leaves.-Two-ranked, tongue-shaped, thick, opaque; apex pointed; margin wavy; vein transparent, vanishing below the apex; surface covered with tiny protuberances; base oblong-oval with ear-like and fringed appendages; cells dense, minute, round.

Leaves at the base of the pedicel (perichoetial leaves).--Long and sheathing, tongue-shaped toward the apex.

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

Veil (calyptra).--Split up one side.

Spore-case.--Egg-shaped or elliptical.

Pedicel (seta).--Short.

Lid (operculum).--Conic, beaked.

Teeth (peristome).--Narrowly lance-shaped and awl-shaped, cross-barred and knotty. Segments of the inner membrane very short from a very narrow base, sometimes wanting.

Annulus.--None.

Spores.--Mature in autumn.

Distribution.--North America, Europe, Asia.