Montana Field Guide

Plants: Pleurocarpous (FNA 2014), growing in mats (Lawton 1971), feathery, green, green with yellow tones, or tending to brown (FNA 2014). Stems typically creeping (Lawton 1971), pinnate (Lawton 1971), 10-45 cm in length, the primary stem growth seldom limited (not often forking), possessing a central strand; pseudoparaphyllia present; axillary hairs with a length of 4-5 cells. Branches simple, rarely otherwise, to 12 mm (FNA 2014), seldom to 20 mm, complanate, becoming smaller toward the distal end of the stem (Lawton 1971).

Stem Leaves: Spreading to about 90 degrees (Lawton 1971), cupped, widely deltoid with a heart-shaped base, 1.2-2.2 mm in length, seldom reaching 1.6 mm in width; base widely extending somewhat far down the stem; acumen lance-shaped (FNA 2014); leaf edges flat, sometimes curved back and downward proximally, saw-toothed above and down to the bottom or nearly so; costa more-or-less 3/4 of the leaf length (Lawton 1971), wide, nearly always with a dorsal spine at the end (FNA 2014).

Branch Leaves: Smaller and more slender than the stem leaves (FNA 2014), not spreading to 90 degrees nor so long-decurrent, cupped (Lawton 1971), almost always noticeably pleated, lance-shaped, occasionally with ovate tendencies, 1-2 mm in length; dorsal surfaces of the costa and lamina more strongly dentate than in the stem leaves (FNA 2014), 80% or more of the leaf length (Lawton 1971).

Leaf Cells: Stem leaf alar cells oblong or more rounded and medial laminal cells with walls frequently pitted near the bottom of the leaf. Branch leaf apical cells with length twice that of the width or more (Lawton 1971).

Decaying wood, forest litter, humusy soil, damp areas with scattered light. Occurring from low-lying areas to 4265 feet (FNA 2014).

Dioicous (FNA 2014). Male plants comparable to the female plants, with reproductive parts occurring on the stems; perigonial leaves to 1.6 mm in length and perichaetial leaves to 4 mm, both with apices thread-like and saw-toothed or finely so. Seta very coarse, 15-20 mm tall (Lawton 1971), russet. Capsule russet, bowed, tilted to level (FNA 2014), the theca 1.5-2.5 mm in length; operculum beak typically slanted (Lawton 1971) and long; peristome allowing capsule mouth to open in low humidity. Calyptra lacking hair (FNA 2014).