Plants moderate-sized and lax to somewhat compact, ± stiff-stemmed; moderate-sized to large, forming lawns or low, loose hummocks; green, yellow-brown to golden brown and often tinged with brown to purplish brown; capitulum ± flat in lax open-grown forms to ± rounded and compact in open-grown forms. Stems brown, superficial cortical layer with spiral reinforcing fibrils clearly visible, usually 2 or more pores per cell, comb-fibrils visible on interior wall. Stem leaves to 1.3-1.9 × 0.6-1.2 mm; rarely hemiisophyllous; hyaline cells non-ornamented, nonseptate or sometimes septate. Branches ± tapering, leaves loosely imbricate to spreading and often squarrose in shade forms. Branch fascicles with 2 spreading and 2-3 pendent branches. Branch stems with cortical cell comb-lamellae weakly differentiated on interior wall, no or weak funnel-like projections on the interior end walls, pores in superficial wall mostly restricted to leaf attachments. Branch leaves ovate to ovate elliptical, 1.5-2 × 0.9-1.6 mm; hyaline cells on convex surface with elliptic to more often round pores along the commissures, comb-lamellae can be present, but often absent or restricted to leaf bases; chlorophyllous cells broadly triangular in transverse section and well-enclosed on the convex surface; end wall not thickened. Sexual condition dioicous. Capsule with scattered pseudostomata. Spores 27-31 µm; granulate on both surfaces; laesura on proximal surface less than 0.5 the spore radius.
Home