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.

(1–)4–5(–10) cm, simple, brownish 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.

3–6(–8) mm, densely imbricate, ± erect and almost straight when dry, erect-spreading to widely spreading when moist;

sheath oblong-rectangular, yellowish, tapering to the blade;

blade slender, bluish green and nitid, rather flat, with sharply infolded margins;

marginal lamina 5–7 cells wide, 1-stratose, entire or minutely crenulate, membranous and transparent, enclosing the lamellae and overlapping towards the apex;

costa usually somewhat toothed distally, excurrent, forming a subulate, toothed awn, the awn reddish brown throughout or slightly decolorate at tip;

lamellae bluntly crenate in profile, 6–8 cells high, the marginal cells in cross-section ovate to pyriform, thick-walled, ending in a distinct knob, smooth or rarely faintly papillose, the marginal cells of lateral lamellae (enclosed by the overlapping margins) ovoid and less strongly thickened;

sheath cells 70–100 × 6–10 µm, narrowly rectangular (4–6:1), narrower toward the margin;

cells of the broad marginal lamina transversely elongate, very thick-walled.

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

(1–)3–5 cm, stout, yellowish to reddish brown.

dioicous;

perigonia intense wine-red;

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

dioicous;

perigonial rosettes yellowish to reddish green;

perichaetial leaves longer than the foliage leaves, long-sheathing, the blade almost obsolete, ending in a slender yellowish or hyaline awn.

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.

2.5–5 mm, rectangular, longer than wide (1.5–2:1), reddish brown to dark brown, glaucous when fresh, suberect, becoming horizontal when mature, sharply 4-angled and prismatic;

peristome 200–240 µm, divided to 0.6–0.8, the teeth 64, keeled at back.

dirty white to light brown, enclosing the capsule.

whitish to light brown, covering the capsule.

9–12 µm.

6–10(–12) µm.