This is a small, creeping moss that forms loose, soft mats. The leaves are less than 1 mm in length and often have a narrow, drawn out tip. The midrib (costa), visible with a hand lense, extends to the middle of the leaf or somewhat beyond. The material illustrated was collected from an otherwise bare, shaded area in the road bed of the abandoned section of Brownell Road west of Rice Creek.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
A creeping moss that forms dense to loose yellowish- or brownish-green mats.The leaves are 1.5 to 3.5 or 4 mm long, broadly lance shaped with a long, slender tip. The material illustrated was growing on the surface of the root covered stem of a Cinnamon Fern on the flood plane of Rice Creek.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This is a moderately robust plant of wet habitats. The leaves, at least those near the tip of the stems and branches, are "falcate-secund" (curved and turned towards one side of the stem), 2-4 mm long and relatively narrow. The material illustrated was growing in a mixed moss and liverwort mat on a log in a wet drainage area at the edge of a spruce plantation at Rice Creek.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
A small leaved moss growing in tangled mats on rocks in and beside streams. Glime (1993) describes members of the genus as looking and feeling "like a scouring pad for cleaning pots and pans." The material illustrated was growing on a rock at the edge of Rice Creek just below the uppermost section of the "fish ladder".
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
Our species of Brachythecium are often difficult to distinguish. This species forms bright yellow-green mats in seeps and shallow, intermitent stream drainages in shady woods and brush. The main stems are creeping with erect-ascending branches. The leaves are smooth or with only the slightest hint of longitudinal folds or pleats. The base of the leaf is slightly extended down the surface of the stem (decurrent), as in the next species. However, the leaf tips are not twisted.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
Our species of Brachythecium are often difficult to distinguish. This is a species of damp forests growing on soil, decaying logs, rocks, and the bases of trees. Under the microscope the leaf margins are seen to be minutely toothed at least towards the tip of the leaf. The leaves have a strong midrib but, in contrast to the next species, lack longitudinal folds or pleats. The tip of the leaf is often twisted. The base of the leaf is slightly extended down the surface of the stem (decurrent). The color of the plants ranges from yellow green to dark green.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
Our species of Brachythecium are often difficult to distinguish. This species is found on shaded soil, stones, bases of trees, and logs, often in somewhat disturbed sites. The leaves are very finely toothed towards the tip. There are two obvious folds or pleats, one on either side of the strong midrib. In contrast to the previous species, the tips of the leaves are not twisted.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This moss is common on rocks in moist woods at Rice Creek. It is easily recognized by the cylindrical form of the stem provided by the short, broad leaves being closely crowded around the stem. Each leaf ends abruptly with a short pointed tip which is twisted when dry.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This is a fine textured moss growing in loose mats in moist, shady places in woods, lawns, and old fields. Leaves may be spread far enough apart to expose sections of stem between them. The leaves are rounded with toothed margins. The stalk of the capsule is minutely roughened as seen through the microscope. Without this character, this and the next species may be difficult to distinguish. A collection identified as this species comes from moist soil in the wooded area west of the vernal pool on the orange trail just north of the entrance road.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This moss grows in loose mats on old stumps, mounds of organic soil, and tree roots in wet, shaded areas. The leaves are somewhat more triangular than in the previous species. The stalk of the capsule is smooth. A collection identified as this species comes from tree roots in a wet area along the blue trail at the west edge of the old-growth farm woodlot at Rice Creek.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This moss forms soft, flat, bright- to yellow-green mats. The leaves are somewhat flattened on the stem. Under the microscope the leaf margins are seen to be finely toothed. The tip of the leaf is extended to a slender point and is twisted. This moss grows on soil, rotten wood, rocks, or the bases of trees in hardwood forests.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This is a unique, silvery-green moss with leaves closely crowded giving the stem a cylindrical form. It grows in disturbed places on sand or gravel and is commonly found in the crevices of sidewalks, on dry logs, or crevices on roofs. It grows with other mosses on the asphalt ramp in front of the tool shed at Rice Creek.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This is an erect, tufted plant that grows on wet soil and other substrates usually near the edges of lakes or ponds. The leaves are spreading when moist and have a heavy, red midrib. The plants illustrated were growing in a mixed mat of mosses on soil of a small island in Rice Pond.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This unique and unusual moss is unlikely to be seen unless the capsule is present and even then luck and a sharp eye are required. Except for the sporophyte (capsule and its stalk) the plant consists mostly of protonema, the mat of tiny, one-cell-wide filaments that form the earliest juvenile stages of most mosses. The short, fuzzy base that supports the stalk of the sporophyte is all there is in the way of a multicellular, leafy gametophyte. The appearance of the sporophyte is unmistakable. The capsule is held obliquely or horizontally at the end of the short stalk. In this species the capsule is ovoid to cylindric. In the only other species found in the northeastern United States (B. aphylla), the upper face of the capsule is somewhat flattened and separated from the lower face by a narrow ridge. At Rice Creek, B. minakatae has been seen on damp, rotting wood along the upper branch of the green trail in the wild flower display area. Look for the capsules in fall, winter, and early spring.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This is a distinctive moss with upright stems branching like a miniature tree. The upright stems are actually connected by horizontally growing underground stems. The tree moss occurs in moist woods here and there throughout the field station properties. A second closely related species (C. dendroides) which has a more northern distribution may also be found in our area. Clear differentiation between the two requires examination with a microscope.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
The narrow, thin leaves of this low growing moss are the basis of its common name. In addition to being long and thin, the leaves are slightly curved. This moss usually grows on soil in shady places. It was collected from the bare soil at the base of a large black cherry tree at the northwest entrance to the wildflower area in 1996.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This is a small moss that is usually found on rotting logs and stumps or the bases of deciduous trees. The leaves are drawn out into elongate tips that are "crisped" or coiled to various degrees when dry. They have been likened to miniature corkscrews. A specimen was collected from a rotting log near the vernal pool on the orange trail just north of the entrance road in 2002.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This moss is widely distributed on bare, dry, sterile, disturbed habitats in the north temperate latitudes. The leaves have a heavy midrib and coil up when dry. In early spring the stalks of the young capsules give the colony a purplish cast. This is one of the mosses commonly found growing on old roofs and in cracks of paved roads. The specimen illustrated was part of a mat of mosses growing on the asphalt ramp in front of the work shed at Rice Creek.
Return to Mosses and
Liverworts
Return to Contents
This small moss with upright stems grows in dense dull green tufts. The stalk of the capsule is redish. The capsule is erect, nearly cylindrical, and may be furrowed when dry. The cap of the mature capsule resembles an elongate cone. It was found growing on a rock in the lower part of the middle field at Rice Creek.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
F. exilis is a tiny plant only 1.5-2 mm tall. It is native to Europe and has been accidently introduced into North America. As tiny as it is, it may often be overlooked and may be more common than suggested in the literature. A specimen was collected in 1996 from bare soil in the spruce plantation north of the herb garden. The dried sample consists of a few shoots of F. exilis growing amid other mosses.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
F. grandifrons is an aquatic moss that prefers calcareous habitats. The plant body is relatively rigid with leaves more than one cell thick. Plants of this species are among the largest to be found in the genus. F. grandifrons was found growing in quantity on the downstream, vertical surface of one of the concrete steps in the water level control system in the outlet of the pond at Rice Creek during a class field trip in fall 2001.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
F. taxifolius is common at Rice Creek, most often found on the bare soil, rocks, and tree roots exposed at the edges of intermittent streams running through the woodlands. Microscopic features of the leaves differentiate this species from other similar species.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This is a widespread, variable species that was found on damp banks of Rice Creek below the pond. These are small plants that produce capsules in the fall or spring. The mature capsules resemble an open bowl or cup. The plant is a winter annual, that is it grows in the fall, through the winter, and matures in the spring.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This moss forms bright green, yellowish, or brownish mats, usually on rotten logs or stumps. It is a creeping moss growing horizontally on the substrate. The branches are straight or sometimes upturned at the tip, tapered, and somewhat flattened. Under a microscope, one can see leaf-like appendages at the base of each branch. This species was collected from a log in the woods near the Red Trail just south of the power line right of way at Rice Creek.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
Plants of this species form dense mats. The stems are pinnately branched (branches in pairs from opposite sides of the stem). The leaves of the main stem are broad and abruptly narrowed to an elongate tip. Leaves of the branches are narrower and generally falcate-secund (with narrow, curved tips tending to all curve in the same direction relative to the stem). Under the microscope the tips of cells can be seen projecting slightly from the back side of the leaf.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This is a moderate sized, irregularly branched, creeping moss with somewhat ascending branches. The foliage is bright-green to yellow-brown. The specimen illustrated was growing on a rotten log in the wildflower display area at Rice Creek.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
In Hypnum, the leaves are usually curved and down pointing ("falcate secund") and often appear to be in two ranks. The curved leaves usually give the stem tips a hooked appearance. H. cupressiforme grows on soil or rock, usually in relatively dry habitats. The material illustrated was growing on the rootmass on an overturned stump near the vernal pond on the east side of the orange trail north of the entrance road at Rice Creek.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
In Hypnum, the leaves are usually curved and down pointing ("falcate secund") and often appear to be in two ranks. The curved leaves usually give the stem tips a hooked appearance. H. lindbergii is a relatively robust plant that grows on wet soil or rotten logs. The material illustrated was growing in a mixed mat of mosses on the soil of a small island in Rice Pond.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
A small plant that forms dark brownish-green mats with yellowish edges on the bark of trees and logs. The main stems are creeping and the branches curve upwards. The tips of branches may appear thickened because of the production of many tiny, detachable "brood branches" formed at the base of leaves. These "brood branches" are easily detached and will grow into new plants. The capsules are erect, symetric, and clyindric in shape. They are held well above the foliage on long stalks. This moss is common on the bark of ash and willow as well as other tree species.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
A creeping moss with prostrate, small leaved main stems ("stolons") from which arching, larger leaved branches arise. The branches are often prolonged in to a slender, drawn out terminal portion. The leaves are prolonged into a narrow, often rounded tip. Under the microscope, the cells of the leaves are irregularly hexagonal and have numerous surface papillae. The material illustrated was collected from the base of a elm tree along the northern stretch of the blue trail.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
An attractive moss in the field or under the microscope. The stems have a regular branching pattern giving rise to flat sprays of foliage. Under the microscope, this species has branched cellular outgrowths (paraphyllia) on the stem between the leaves. The leaves have finely ciliate margins and each leaf cell has a hooked projection (papilla) extending on the lower side of the leaf. Through the microscope, light defraction by the papillae causes the leaf to sparkle.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
The leaf margins of this species are strongly toothed along their entire length. The leaf tips are usually sharp-pointed and the leaf blades have a border of 2-4 rows of elongate cells. This species is common and widespread in moist - wet, shady habitats.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
In this species, the margins of the terminal half of the leaf are toothed. The leaf blades have a border of 2-3 rows of elongate cells and the leaf tips are often sharp-pointed. This species is common and widespread in moist habitats, especially on banks and low mounds in hardwood forests. The specimen illustrated was collected from the bed of the blue trail north of the middle-slope field at Rice Creek.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This is a relatively large leaved species. The leaves have a distinct, smooth, firm, narrow border of redish cells. This species was collected from the surface of a small log lying along the blue trail in the Norway spruce plantation in 1996.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This dark colored moss forms small tufts with shoots projecting straight out from the trunks of trees. The leaves are flat and straight even when dry. The leaves are blunt pointed and the leaf margins are revolute. The capsules are oblong, ribbed, and scarcely exserted above the foliage. The teeth at the opening are fused together in 8 pairs that later split into 16 divisions. The calyptra, the cap-like temporary covering of the growing sporophyte, is hairy and ribbed. This and the other species of this family can be found particularly on the north or east (shady) sides of tree trunks.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This dark colored moss forms small tufts with shoots projecting straight out from the trunks of trees. The leaves are flat and straight even when dry. Leaves are fairly sharp-pointed and leaf margins are revolute. The capsules are cylindrical and smooth surfaced, with 8 broad, recurved teeth around the terminal opening. The calyptra, the cap-like temporary covering of the growing sporophyte, completely covers the developing capsule and is sparsly covered with upright hairs. This and the other species of this family can be found particularly on the north or east (shady) sides of tree trunks.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This dark colored moss forms small tufts with shoots projecting straight out from the trunks of trees. In contrast to the species of Orthotrichum, the leaves of Ulota crispa are tightly coiled when dry. The prominent midrib is easily seen with a hand lense. The leaf margins are mostly plane (not revolute). The capsules are oblong-cylindric and strongly 8-ribbed. This and the other species of this family can be found particularly on the north or east (shady) sides of tree trunks.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This moss forms loose mats of creeping stems with yellowish green foliage on rocks, soil, rotten logs, or tree bases in shady hardwood forests. A specimen was collected from a rotting log in the wildflower display area in 1996.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This and the related P. laetum are distinguished by their asymmetric, flat, distinctly two-ranked leaves born on creeping stems. Separation of the two species requires microscopic investigation of leaf cells or observation of mature spore capsules. This is a plant of wet, shady habitats.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This species was collected at the base of the large black cherry tree near the upper west entrance to the wildflower display area. It is considerably smaller, and less common at Rice Creek, than the next species. The pronounced, broad midrib of the leaf supports 6-9 vertical plates of cells (lamellae) running from the base to the tip of the blade. These spread laterally to cover 1/4 to 1/2 of the leaf surface. Microscopic observation shows that the cells on the upper surface of the leaf blade are bulging (mammillose). As in the next species, the lateral portions of the leaf blade are undulate and the under surface of the leaf has teeth on the tip of the midrib and usually along the undulations.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
This moss is common and widespread in the second growth woods at Rice Creek. It often forms dense clumps and tends to occur on bare soils. The pronounced, broad midrib of the leaf supports 4-6 vertical plates of cells running from the base to the tip of the blade. The lateral portions of the leaf blade are undulate. Under the microscope, rows of teeth can usually be seen on the undulations on the lower surface of the leaf and teeth are also borne on the surface of the midrib near the tip of the leaf as in the previous species.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
In Polytrichum, the numerous, closely crowded lamellae cover most or all of the upper surface of the leaf. In this species, the leaf margins are sharply toothed and the marginal cells (cells along the upper edge) of the lamellae are indented to distinctly notched. P. commune often forms extensive colonies on moist but exposed soils in pastures, old fields, and meadows. Our specimens were collected in the lower part of the middle field near the meteorological equipment tower.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
In this genus, as in Polytrichum, the numerous, closely crowded lamellae cover most or all of the upper surface of the leaf. In this species, the leaf margins are sharply toothed and the marginal cells (cells along the upper edge) of the lamellae are narrowly elliptic or somewhat conical. P. formosum grows on soil or humus in damp to wet forests. Specimens were collected in 1997 from the surface of a rotting log in the wildflower display area.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
A shiny, yellowish green plant forming mats on rotten logs or rich soil, often in coniferous woods. The leaves are arranged so that the foliage appears flattened and the thin tips of the leaves curve back and down like little hooks. A specimen was collected in the woods along the blue trail in 1996.
Return to Mosses
and Liverworts
Return to Contents
A small leafy moss common on logs, stumps, and bare soil in shady areas of second growth and older woods. The gemmae producing terminal leaf rosettes are unique. The capsule has a unique, elongate, 4-toothed peristome.
Return to Mosses and
Liverworts
Return to Contents