Pogonatum, with a broad costa ; lamellæ numerous, not inflated
at the borders. Calyptra covered with long hanging hairs.
Capsule on a long solid pedicel, quadrangular or rarely hexagonal,
with a short subglobose or discoidal apophysis. Lid Im-ge,
plano-convex or conical, straight-beaked. Teeth of the peristome
generally 64. Spores very small.
* Capsule hexagonal.
1. P. g ra cile, Menz. Plants densely cespitose ; stems erect,
slender, very flexuous at the tomentose divided base, simple
above : leaves long, linear-lanceolate, sharply acuminate ; borders
thin, erect, acutely dentate : capsule erect on a long pedicel,
horizontal when dry, hexagonal-ovate, covered by the calyptra
nearly to the base ; lid long-rostrate from a conical base, sti-aight
or oblique; peristome of 64 unequal teeth. — Trans. Linn. Soc.
iv. 73, t. 6, fig. 3 ; Bryol. Eur. t. 421.
IIAIÎ. Peat bogs of Nortbern Obio (Lesquereux); Lake Superior
(Agassiz); Rocky Mountains (P. Uall).
2. P. formosum, Hedw. Loosely cespitose; stems long,
sometimes very long, erect from the prostrate base : lower leaves
very small, membranaceous, sheathing, open at the apiculate
point, the upper open and recurved from a long sheathing and
shining whitish base, glauoous-green above, loosely appressed
when dry, long linear-lanceolate ; margins erect, sharply dentate
to near the clasping base ; perichætial leaves very long, erect :
calyptra descending to the base of the capsule : capsule on a
long fleshy pedicel, erect w’hen moist, cernuous when dry, horizontal
when empty,, hexagonal or triangular, with a distinct
apophysis ; lid conical at base, gradually long-acuminate, red on
the borders. — Spec. Muso. 92, t. 19; Bryol. Eur. t. 420. P.
attenuatum, Menz. 1. c. fig. 2; Lindb. Polytrich. 109 and 126.
Var. p a llid ise tum , Bruch & Schimp. Stems shorter :
leaves shorter and bright green : capsule narrower, often subcylindrical
; pedicel yellow, reddish at base only.
H a b . AVoods, in mountain regions; tb e variety in subalpine regions.
* * Capsule quadrangular.
S. P. piliferum, Schreb. Loosely cespitose ; stems simple,
from radiculose subterranean creeping shoots, erect, naked
below : lower leaves very small, appressed, scarcely visible, the
upper abruptly larger, crowded, glaucous-green, imbricate when
dry, ovate, sheathing, long-lanceolate at base, nearly erect
towards the apex by the inflexion of the entire borders ; costa
prolonged into a long white dentate awn ; perichætial leaves
linear-lingulate, erect, very concave, the inner thin ; costa round,
without lamellæ, the awn very long : calyptra descending below
the capsule: capsule tetragonal-ovate, erect, cernuous when
dry; lid depressed, conical at base, short-rostrate, purple or
orange; teeth regular. — S|)icil. FI. Lips. 74; Bryol. Eur. t. 422.
Var. Hoppei, Rabenh. Stems very densely cespitose,
short : leaves suhimhricate when wet, shorter, with a very long
awn: capsule on a short thick pedicel, square or subcubioal,
orange, always erect.
Hab. Sandy barren ground; plains and mountains. Tbe variety in
tlie Rocky Mountains (Downie).
4. P. ju n ip e rin um , YVllld. Plants long, erect from subterranean
shoots, simple, dichotomous above; leaves spreading-
open when moistened, erect when dry, glaucous or dirty green,
long linear-lanceolate from the enlarged sheathing base, entire,
inflexed on the borders ; costa excurrent into a short reddish
brown serrulate awn ; perichætial and perigonial leaves membranaceous
on the borders; lamellæ papillose on the margins:
capsule entirely covered by the calyptra, tetragonal-prismatic,
solid, reddish orange, becoming brown when old; hd planoconvex
at base, apiculate, reddish.'— El. Berol. 305; Hedw.
Spec. Muse. 89, t. 18 ; Bryol. Eur. t. 423.
Var. alp in um , Schimp. In compact tufts ; stems shorter :
leaves shorter, more crowded, imbricate when dry, the perichætial
long-curved : calyptra shorter, white : capsule shorter,
short-pedicellate. — Syn. 447.
Hab. B a r r e n and dry meadows ; plains and mountains. The variety
in high mountains.
5. p. s tric tum , Banks. Plants slender, densely cespitose,
branching ; tufts matted with a dense whitish tenacious tomentum
: leaves erect-open, strict, imbricate when dry, shorter
and narrower than in the last : capsule smaller, acutely angled,
red-oran<re, covered entirely by the villous calyptra. Menz.
Trans. Linn. Soc. iv. 77, t. 7, fig. 1. P. alpestre, Hoppe. P.
juniperinum, var. strictum, YVallni., and var. alpestre, Bruch &
Schimp. Bryol. Eur. t. 424; Sulliv. Mosses of U. States, 42.
H a b . Mountains, on dry rocks; AVbite Mountains, etc.