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The red stems without paraphyllia are characteristic. The leaves are relatively large, with a very short and double costa (or lacking), and well-differentiated alar cells. The very concave leaves with recurved leaf apices are useful characteristics. Hylocomium splendens has more acutely pointed leaves and stems with paraphyllia.
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Clockwise above, Pleurozium schreberi in the field, alar cells, apex, whole leaf, leaf cells |
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| Habit | Robust, course, sparsely to regularly pinnately branched, erect plants. |
| Stems | red, without hyalodermis or paraphyllia. |
| Leaves | ovate-oblong, with a tiny, often recurved acute tip, concave, non-costate, entire. |
| Leaf Cells | elongate-linear, smooth. |
| Alar Cells | Composing a group of colored, quadrate-rectangular thick-walled cells forming a distinct angular group. |
| Habitat | Hummocks of oligotrophic peatlands and dominating acidic, nutrient poor upland boreal forests, less common coastward, rare in tundra. |
| Common Associates | Associated with Hylocomium splendens and Ptilium crista-castrensis in the continental boreal upland coniferous forest, and with species of Rhytidiadelphus in more mesic localities. Common in peat plateaus and continental bogs in association with Sphagnum fuscum. |
pH Meter
