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Dicranum sp.

One of those “grass-like” mosses grew along this down log. My mind kept saying, “I hate them, I hate them,” but I leaned in close to study the details of its leaves. This genus, Dicranum, has soft leaves, much like a cat’s fur. I must resist not running my fingers across it; it appears inviting. Its little leaf looks curled, so it isn’t a broken-leaf moss with straight leaves. The broom and Curly Heron’s-bill mosses are the two other common species in this genus in the lowlands of the Pacific Northwest. My friends say to look at the color and how the leaves curl, but I still haven’t figured out the separation confidently.

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Dicranum sp.-Deception Pass State Park-Skagit County-.jpg
Copyright
@ Thomas Bancroft
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2500x1663 / 2.1MB
Contained in galleries
Bryophytes - Deception Pass State Park
One of those “grass-like” mosses grew along this down log. My mind kept saying, “I hate them, I hate them,” but I leaned in close to study the details of its leaves. This genus, Dicranum, has soft leaves, much like a cat’s fur. I must resist not running my fingers across it; it appears inviting. Its little leaf looks curled, so it isn’t a broken-leaf moss with straight leaves. The broom and Curly Heron’s-bill mosses are the two other common species in this genus in the lowlands of the Pacific Northwest. My friends say to look at the color and how the leaves curl, but I still haven’t figured out the separation confidently.