Montana Field Guide

Plants: Growing in crowded to open clumps or large mats (FNA 2007), the shoots upright or creeping (Lawton 1971), brownish with yellow or olive tones, green sometimes with yellow tones, or dark brown to blackish above, dark brown to black below, not shiny. Stems generally to 10 cm, rarely to 20 cm, frequently with small, short branches resembling tufts, sometimes lending a knobby appearance to the plant; not possessing a central strand (FNA 2007).

Leaves: Upright and a little curved when dry, loosely upright when wet (Crum & Anderson et al. 1981) curved to straight, 1.5-4 mm in length and 0.5-1.5 mm in width, slenderly lance-shaped to lance-shaped with ovate or linear tendencies, slowly narrowing to an acumen (FNA 2007), cupped apically, keeled at mid-leaf (Lawton 1971); acumen acute or with a slim, rounded end, smooth; margins smooth, curved to tightly rolled back and down along both edges; costa running ca 3/4 of the leaf length, forked only at the tip, lying at the bottom of a somewhat deep groove (which is sometimes partially obscured by the infolded leaf base) (FNA 2007).

Leaf Cells: Margins 1 cell-layer thick, costa 2 cell-layers thick its full length (FNA 2007), rarely 3 layers near the base (Lawton 1971), in X-section the costa is flat on the ventral or inner leaf surface, and somewhat flat to slightly curved on the dorsal or outer leaf surface; laminal cells quadrangular and long, thick-walled and wavy throughout; basal laminal cells differentiated to create a pellucid border (FNA 2007); upper leaf cells rarely shorter than 3:1 (Lawton 1971).

In sheltered or open habitats (FNA 2007), on acidic rocks (Crum & Anderson et al. 1981) and rocky bluffs or outcrops near streams and lakes, frequently where sometimes sprayed or inundated with water, seeps, less often on tree bases, logs floating in water, and wood shingle rooftops. Elevation: 0-13,450 feet (FNA 2007).

Dioicous. Interior perichaetial leaves lance-shaped to elliptic, yellowish translucent throughout. Seta typically 3-8 mm tall, russet to brown with black tones (FNA 2007), spiraled clockwise, sometimes very slightly so (Lawton 1971). Capsule generally 1.2-2.5 mm in length (up to 3.1 mm), shiny and brown, exserted; peristome teeth russet, thickly covered with tiny, sharp papillae, divided nearly to the bottom into 2 lobes (FNA 2007). Calyptra with papillae in the distal half (Crum & Anderson et al. 1981).