Plant Guide > Mosses and Lichens > Mosses > Genus Splendens

Genus Splendens

HYPNUM (PLEUROZIUM) splendens, Hedw.

Habit and habitat.-The Glittering Feather-moss is one of the most beautiful species. It is common on rocks in deep woods, in swampy places, on stumps, and on fallen trees.

Name.-J. G. Hedwig showed his appreciation of its beauty when he called it splendens.

Plant (gametophyte).-In loose tufts, rigid, pale olive-green; stems glittering, 4 to 8 inches high, increasing by annual arched branches, or by rigid, upright branches; branches once or twice feather-branched.

Leaves.-Stem-leaves, at the base, distant, small and scale-like; above, loosely overlapping, slightly concave, broadly oval-long, often narrowed into a long wavy point; vein (costa) faintly double; margin finely toothed; branch-leaves smaller oval-oblong, shorter pointed.

Leaves at the base of the pedicel (perichaetial leaves).-Narrowly pointed, sub-erect or recurved at the apex.

Leaf-like organs (paraphyllia).-Numerous, large, varied in form.

Habit of flowering.-Male and female flowers on different plants, (dioicous).

Veil (calyptra).-Thin, transparent, pointed, split on one side, large and persistent.

Spore-case.-Egg-shaped, horizontal by a curve of the pedicel under the base.

Pedicel (seta).-Curved under the spore-case, about one inch high, smooth.

Lid (operculum).-Large and beaked.

Teeth (peristome).-Double, as in the genus Hypnum.

Annulus.-Single.

Spores.-Fruit not common, mature in spring.

Distribution.-Common in mountains or northward, America, Europe, northern Asia and Africa.