Flora of North America species comparison

(0.5–)1–4 cm tall, rather wiry, unbranched, comose at the tips, whitish tomentose only near the base.

(2–)3–4 mm, erect, straight and slightly incurved when dry, erect-spreading when moist;

sheath ovate, ± contracted to the blade;

blade linear-lanceolate, turgid, with sharply infolded margins, the leaf apex abruptly contracted to the base of the awn;

marginal lamina 5–8 cells wide, 1-stratose, membranous, entire to finely serrulate toward the apex, enclosing the lamellae and overlapping in distal half or more;

costa typically smooth abaxially, long-excurrent as a spinulose-toothed, hyaline awn;

lamellae in profile crenulate-dentate to serrulate, with crenulations directed towards the leaf apex, (4–)6–8 cells high, the marginal cells in section conic to distinctly pyriform, terminating in a distinct knob, the marginal cells of the lateral lamellae ovoid, thinner-walled;

sheath cells 60–80 × 10–15 µm, elongate-rectangular (4–6:1);

cells of marginal lamina transversely elongated, ± irregular and sinuous, smaller toward the margins and obliquely oriented, especially approaching the apex, thick-walled.

1–3 cm, stout, flexuose, reddish brown.

dioicous;

perigonia intense wine-red;

perichaetial leaves a little longer than foliage leaves, with hyaline lamina and longer awns.

2.5–3.5 mm, short to almost cubic (1.5–2:1), inclined, becoming horizontal when mature;

peristome rather short, 110–180(–200) µm, divided to 0.6, the teeth about 64, obtuse.

dirty white to light brown, enclosing the capsule.

9–12 µm.