Myrinia Moss

Description

M. pulvinata forms dull, dark green tufts, with slender, more or less erect branches that arise from prostrate primary stems. These branches are about 1 cm long, and become rather cylindrical when dry, as the leaves clasp the branch stems. They tend to be of approximately equal length on a patch, giving a uniform appearance that is not shared by other, similar-sized species. Leaves are only about 0.5 mm long, with a faint nerve reaching to mid-leaf. Slightly curved, oval-oblong capsules are often produced in summer. These are held erect, are less than 1.5 mm long - about twice as long as wide - and borne on a seta about 6 mm long. M. pulvinata resembles a slender version of the much commoner Leskea polycarpa (p. 689), and may occur with it, but can be distinguished by its usually smaller size, darker colour, branches of consistent length on a patch, and capsules that are only about twice as long as wide (as opposed to 4 times longer than wide in L. polycarpa). L. polycarpa also has a thicker, more prominent nerve.