Plant Guide > Mosses and Lichens > Mosses > Genus Eurhynchium

Genus Eurhynchium

Genus EurhynchiumHYPNUM : Sub-genus EURHYNCHIUM, Schimp.

The species of this genus are robust, glossy plants, more or less feather-branched, prostrate or creeping.

The leaves are open, overlapping as shingles ; they resemble the bowl of a spoon, with the apex abruptly drawn out into a slender point and the margin serrate all around ; a vein extends to the middle or beyond ; the cells are smooth or slightly covered in a few species with tiny protuberances, they are narrowly rhomboidal, somewhat worm-like and enlarged at the basal angles. The leaves at the base of the pedicel have root-like filaments.

The spore-cases are oval-oblong nodding or horizontal, on a smooth or rough pedicel, with lids more or less long-beaked. This character suggested the generic name from the Greek for; well, and; a beak. The annulus is compound or rarely none.

Seventy-four species are known in all, nineteen in North America.









Hypnum Eurhynchium Boscii Moss