Montana Field Guide

Plants: Pleurocarpous (FNA 2014), growing in mats (Lawton 1971), green and sometimes with yellow tones (FNA 2014), occasionally brown proximally. Stems 20-80 mm in length (Lawton 1971), generally pinnate; hyalodermis and central strand both present; paraphyllia lacking; rhizoids or their initials arising from the stem or the dorsal side of the costal attachment (FNA 2014).

Stem Leaves: Densely-spaced, curving in sickle-like fashion or the ends rolled more tightly into a circle, seldom straight, 0.4-1.1 mm in width, pleated (seldom not), lance-shaped, narrowing gradually to a long or very long, slender acumen; leaf edges flat or seldom curved back and down toward the apex, finely toothed above, unbordered; base egg-shaped to deltoid and rounded, not or scarcely extending down the stem; costa single, vanishing in the acumen (FNA 2014).

Leaf Cells: Apical cells a little roughened dorsally from distal cell ends overlapping (FNA 2014); median cells longer than the basal cells (Lawton 1971); alar cells oblong, short to long, swollen, distinguished from adjacent cells; supra-alar cells green with chlorophyll, square to oblong, the walls fine or slightly thickened, not pitted (FNA 2014).

Capsules typically level and bowed and with both exostome and endostome present distinguish this species from other North American Sanionia (FNA 2014).

Soil, humus, logs, and stone (Elliott and Pipp 2016) in forested or exposed areas. Occurring from lowlands to high altitudes (FNA 2014).

Autoicous. Interior perichaetial leaves with acumen very long (FNA 2014), the leaves to 6 mm in length, pleated. Seta 15-30 mm tall (Lawton 1971). Capsule level, seldom upright to tilted, typically bowed (FNA 2014), or sometimes straight (Lawton 1971); exostome with long teeth that are wide proximally, toothed above; endostome with openings restricted to the center longitudinal line; cilia present (FNA 2014).