Ptilium crista-castrensis (Hedw.) De Not. - Knight's Plume Moss


 

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Ptilium crista-castrensis - (image 1 of 5)

 

Taxonomy

Family: Hypnaceae

Habitat

Humus or logs in moist coniferous or mixed forest.

Associates

 

Distribution

Circumpolar. In North America from Newfoundland west to AK, south to NC, MI, IA, MT, and OR.

Morphology

Robust, plumose moss that forms large, bright green to yellowish mats. Stems creeping, erect or ascending towards the tips to 11 cm high, pinnately branched to form triangular fronds with hooked tips. Stem leaves longer (2-3 mm) than branch leaves (1.2-2 mm); leaves strongly plicate; costa absent or short and double. Dioicus; seta reddish, to 4.5 cm long; capsule 2-3 mm long, almost horizontal, medium-brown.

Notes

One of the easier mosses to identify in the field. The hooked tip of the rather large, triangular frond is most distinctive.

 

References

Crum, H. 2004. Mosses of the Great Lakes Forest, 4th ed.

The University of Michigan Herbarium. Ann Arbor, MI

 

 


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 Michael Hough © 2009