Lyall's polytrichum moss (Polytrichastrum formosum)
Description
A medium-sized plant with erect, unbranched, scattered shoots in loose tufts, 5-10 cm tall, and leaves 1 cm long or slightly more. The bright, dark green, straight leaves hug the stem, becoming wavy and duller when dry. The spreading, narrow, triangular limb extends from a matt, colourless sheathing base. Narrow, colourless margins are distinctly toothed, and become inrolled to protect the up to 70 ridges of tissue on the upper surface of the nerve as the leaf dries out. The (4-) 5- to 6-angled, erect to inclined, rather rectangular capsule with a long (2 mm) lid is borne on a 2.5-6 cm seta, yellowish above, red below. Capsules are frequent and covered by the calyptra when mature
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Bryophyta
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Class: Bryopsida
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Order: Polytrichales
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Family: Polytrichaceae
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Genus: Polytrichastrum
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