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TORTULA FAMILY - TORTULACEAE

Mosses with short stems growing on soil and rocks. The seta is straight and calyptra hood-shaped (cucullate). Two genera have been found thus far - Tortula and Desmatodon - the former having costa excurrent in a hair point and a peristome of three teeth, while the latter has no excurrent costa and has sixteen teeth in the peristome.

Tortula ruralis (L) Ehrh. found on the slopes of Eagle Peak, is branched, bright-green above and reddish-brown below. The leaves are recurved, squarrose when moist.

Desmatodon latifolius B. & S. (See Plate XI, Fig. 2) is short and tufted, yellowish-green; capsule oblong with calyptra nearly reaching the base of the capsule.

THE EXTINGUISHER MOSS FAMILY (ENCALYPTACEAE)

An interesting family, consisting of a single genus - Encalypta - and easily distinguished for the beginner by the extinguisher-like calyptra. Members grow on stone and shallow soil.

Encalypta ciliata Hoffm. (See Plate XII, Fig. 1), collected on cliffs along the west side road. It is identified by a decided fringe on the calyptra.

Encalypta vulgaris (Hedw.) Hoffm. lacks the fringe at the base of the calyptra. In the park it apparently is a form of alpine or, at least, sub-alpine habitats, being found in clumps on Burrough's Mountain and on Fremont Peak near the fire lookout station.

Encalypta leiocarpa Kindb. differs chiefly from E. vulgaris in that it has no wrinkles on the capsule when dry. One collection, on cliffs alone the Nisqually River.

ORTHOTRICHUM FAMILY - (ORTHOTRICHACEAE)

A rather large family which includes many members difficult of identification. The habitat is usually trees, although occasionally on rocks. It is probably most closely related to the Grimmiaceae. Plants are small, seldom exceeding an inch in height, forming blackish or brownish tufts. Two genera have been found on Mt. Rainier - Orthotrichum and Amphidium. The latter genus has the leaves plainly crisped when dry, with the capsule barely exserted and peristome lacking, while Orthotrichum has immersed or emergent capsules and leaves usually not crisped when dry.

Amphidium lapponicum (Hedw.) Schimp. is tufted, dark-green, brown to black below. It grows on rocks along the River Trail.

A. mougeotii (Bry. Eur.) Schimp. is yellowish-green and is more slender foregoing species. Specimens were found on cliffs along the West Side Road.

Orthotrichum rupestre Schleich. (See Plate XII, Fig. 3) differs from most in that it grows in rook habitats where it forms more or less dense tufts or cushions that are olive-green above and brown or black below. A specimen in the moss herbarium was collected by the author on Fremont Peak.

O. speciosum Nees. was collected on the trunks of rod alder along the Nisqually River. It is green to yellow-green above in branching growths.

O. consimile Mitt. differs in its crispate leaves and the light-yellow-green foliage; leaves may be merely contorted and not crisped when dry.

FUNARIA FAMILY - (FUNARIACEAE)

This family is represented on Mt. Rainier by a single genus - Funaria - and one species and one variety.

Funaria hygrometrica (L.) Hedw. (See Plate XII, Fig. 2), is known as the Twisted Cord moss because of the twisted nature of the seta which is hygroscopic and untwists when the plant becomes moist. The symmetrical, deeply sulcate capsules with a distinct annulus, make it easily recognizable. It is common at lower elevations on bare ground and charred wood as below the Longmire Camp Grounds.

F. hygrometrica var. convolute Hampe, found in quantity on the trail up to the snout of the Nisqually Glacier, differs in the more slender form of the plant and the more horizontal position of the capsules.

PLATE XII.

Fig. 1. (Encalyptaceae). Encalypta cilliata Hoffm. 1a - entire plant x5. 1b - leaf, magnified. Note the very long calyptra.
Fig. 2. (Funariaceae). Funaria hygrometrica L. Hedw. 2a - entire plant showing the peculiar curved capsule when dry x3. 2b - calyptra. 2c - leaf.
Fig. 3. (Orthotrichaceae). Orthotrichum rupestre Schleich. 3a - portion of plant x3. 3b - capsule highly magnified, showing the cup-like ochrea at the base. 3c - leaf, showing reflexed margin.

Descriptions continued...