Habitat

Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus is commonly found in open and shady areas.  Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus often grows in areas where moisture persists such as a lawns, disturbed habitats among grasses, and along streams.

 

 

 

 

 

---

Gametophyte

Overall Structure:

Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus is a pleurocarpous moss with main stems often growing erect. Plants are generally yellow-green with reddish stems.

 

 

 

 

 

Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus is irregularly branched, and shoots form loose mats on the substratum.

 

 

 

 

Leaf Structure:

The leaves, as implied by the epithet, are strongly squarrose (i.e. spreading at right angles from the stem).

 

 

 

 

 

The leaves taper from a broadly-ovate, sheathing base to a long attenutate and recurved apex.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A closer look at the leaf base reveals the presence of a short double costa and well-differentiated alar cell regions in the corners of the leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

Sporophyte

Sporophytes are red-brown when mature.

 

Sporangium:

The red or red-brown sporangia are horizontal and slightly curved.

 

 

 

 

 

Seta:

The seta is red.

 

Comments:

This moss is perhaps the most common and easily recognized pleurocarpous moss found in lawns in Southwestern British Columbia. The combination of erect shoots with reddish stems, strongly squarrose leaves and weedy habitat is diagnostic.