Flora of North America species comparison

leaves equilateral to isosceles-triangular, small, less than 0.8 mm, mostly appressed to stem, apex acute to obtuse, hyaline cells efibrillose and nonseptate.

straight to slightly curved, usually 5-ranked;

leaves not much longer at distal end than proximal end.

usually of two distinctly different types;

branch leaves that are normally inrolled and broadest ca. 1/4–1/3 the distance from the base, more or less tapered to a cucullate to involute apex;

stem leaves more or less flat and usually broadest at the base;

both leaf types of a network of hyaline, dead cells and green chlorophyllose cells;

pores and reinforcing fibrils frequent in branch leaf hyaline cells and uncommon in stem leaf hyaline cells.

narrowly ovate-lanceolate, 0.8–1 mm, straight, moderately undulate and recurved in larger and/or wetter grown forms, not undulate and slightly recurved in compact forms from drier sites;

margins entire;

hyaline cells on convex surface with 1(2–3) pore per cell at apical end of cell, on concave surface with round wall thinnings in cell ends and angles; chlorophyllous cells triangular in transverse section and just enclosed on concave surface.

dioicous.

21–25 µm; coarsely papillose on proximal and distal surfaces;

proximal laesura more than 0.5 spore radius.

released by explosive opening of operculum.

fascicles with 2 spreading and 2–3 pendent branches.;

branch stems with cortex enlarged with conspicuous retort cells, often pinkish red at proximal end.

thallose.

lacking.

consisting of a spherical capsule with pseudostomata on capsule surface, a very short seta, and a foot, exserted on a pseudopodium of gametophyte tissue.