This is only a working version for display. Our goal is to eventually have a webpage developed along this format that includes commentary and images of all the bryophytes known from the Santa Monica Mountains. -Tarja Sagar and Paul Wilson

Amblystegiaceae
Ablystegium Bruch & W. P. Schimper, 1853
Amblystegium are small, creeping, irregularly branched mosses of wet places. Not very common in the Santa Monicas, they can be found now and then on wet creek banks or submerged in seasonal flow. Their leaves are ovate to lanceolate with an acuminate point and plane, serrulate (sometimes entire) margins. In both Santa Monica Mountains' species, the slender costa extends nearly to mid-leaf. Laminal cells are thin-walled, smooth, and short rectangular; those toward the base of the leaf are a bit longer. Alar cells are short rectangular or nearly quadrate, and occur in poorly marked groups. The plants are autoicous. Amblystegium could be mixed with Brachythecium bolanderi, but the latter tends to occur a little higher on the creek bank on damp to moist soil or on soil between tree roots. Furthermore, Brachythecium bolanderi leaf margins are more strongly serrate than those in Ablystegium, and they are serrate to base. Additionally, some of the Brachythecium bolanderi upper leaf cells have prorations that can be seen with a compound microscope--a feature lacking in Amblystegium.

Amblystegium juratzkanum W. P. Schimper - Nearly entire or only weekly serrate leaves are widely spreading (leaf/stem angle exceeds 45 degrees), and the alar and basal cells are rectangular and wider than upper cells. The costa extends to mid-leaf. Voucher: McGraw 85.

Amblystegium serpens (Hedwig) Bruch & W. P. Schimper - Nearly entire or only weekly serrate leaves are erect to erect-spreading with the leaf/stem angle seldom exceeding 30 degrees, and the alar cells are quadrate. The costa extends to mid-leaf. Illustrations:  Drawing © A. Montalvo from H. Roivainen 8 August 1967. Drawing © A. Montalvo from R. Tuomikoski 4881. Vouchers: Sagar 257, 508.

Leptodictyum riparium (Hedwig) Warnstorf - Leptodictyum riparium has no costa or it is short, ending well below the acumen. It may sometimes have a stronger costa, but unlike other species in this group (Amblystegium, Brachytecium bolanderi, and Leptodictyum humile) the asymmetric leaves are, at least on some stems, inserted somewhat obliquely, and the long median leaf cells are at least 10:1, often more than 15:1. Illustration: XxXx. Vouchers: Sagar 003, 484, 528.5

Bartramiaceae
Anacolia W. P. Schimper, 1876
Anacolia forms palm-sized and larger, moderately dense tufted patches in crevices and small shelves with a little soil on both sandstone and volcanic rock outcrops. It is easily recognized for its red-brown rhizoids that coat the lower portions of the stem. Elsewhere in California, it would be useful to compare Anacolia to other species in the Bartramiaceae with subulate leaves, Bartramia, Flowersia, and Plagiopus, but these genera have not yet been reported from the Santa Monica Mountains. Flowersia, however, is known both from the southwestern United States and from Mexico to Peru. Most distinguishing differences are microscopic, but it could be useful to keep in mind that Flowersia has centric leaf papillae and relatively uniform leaf areolation, while Anacolia leaf papillae project from cell ends or the cells are nearly smooth. Species in the Bartramiaceae have tiny, filamentous hairs in the leaf axils, and the terminal cell of those hairs is elongate in Flowersia, but it is  globular in Anacolia. A more macroscopic difference between the two genera is a straight seta in Anacolia, while Flowersia the seta supporting the capsule is curved to an arc. Sporophytes, however, are not common in Anacolia in our mountains. Bartramia stricta, known from the southwestern United States geographic region, has leaves that are stiffly straight and spreading in dry state, but unlike Anacolia bauerii they have no plicae at the leaf base. Bartramia stricta also prefers moister conditions than either one of the Santa Monica Mountains Anacolia species. Out of the three Anacolia species in California, two are known from the Santa Monica Mountains: Anacolia baueri and Anacolia menziesii. The most definitive way to tell them a part is the features in the sporophyte such as the shape of the capsule, which in Anacolia baueri is oblong to short-cylindric and in the Anacolia menziesii it is nearly round. However, it seems that in dry condition, Anacolia baueri branches form a tight cluster where all leaf tips are closely parallel, while in the Anacolia menziesii the leaf clusters at the branch tips tend to diverge in all directions, giving the moss patches a slightly roughed up appearance.

Anacolia bauerii Hampe - Plants are variously branched in rather dense, tufted, yellowish green patches with long, narrowly lanceolate leaves rising from an ovate, slightly plicate base, and tapering to a long acuminate apex that may be slightly falcate. Leaf lamina cells are nearly smooth except near the tip of the leaf. Capsule is cylindric, seta longer than 10 mm, and dry plants have leaves in tight clusters and with the tips of the leaves essentially all pointing to the same direction. Illustrations: XxXx. Vouchers: Sagar 256, 822.

Anacolia  menziesii (Turner) Paris - Plants are variously branched in rather dense, tufted, yellowish green patches with long, narrowly lanceolate leaves rising from an ovate, slightly plicate base, and tapering to a long acuminate apex that may be slightly falcate. Leaf lamina cells are nearly smooth except near the tip of the leaf. Capsule is ovoid to globose and seta less than 10 mm long. Dry plants have leaf tips in loose clusters and the leaf tips are slightly divergent. Anacolia menziesii grows on rock or in crevices with thin soil over rock. It is not always abundant but it is well distributed throughout the Santa Monica Mountains at mid and upper elevations. Illustrations: Photo:  on rock; Humboldt Co.; March 1987 P. Wilson. Drawing © A. Montalvo from Norris 22122.  Drawing, P. Wilson. Voucher: Sagar 776.

Brachytheciaceae
Bestia Brotherus in Engler & Prantl, 1906
Bestia longipes (Sullivant & Lesquereux) Brotherus - The monotypic Bestia longipes occurs on both volcanic and sandstone rock in shaded riparian drainages. The stem leaves and the branch leaves are similar: blunt or obtuse, obscurely plicate, ovate-lanceolate, and with an acute tip. The margins are recurved in the lower 2/3 and serrate at the apex. The stout costa extends up to the leaf tip. The thick-walled cells are rhombic and their projecting ends appear as scattered spines on the back of the leaf. Alar cells are small and subquadrate. Plants are dioicous.  They occur often together with Pterogonium gracile in shaded narrow drainages. Photos dry & wet:  Santa Monica Moutains; Feb 2005 T. Sagar. Microphotos leaf & costa: Seminole Hotsprings, Santa Monica Mountains, © C. Wishner  6 Feb 2005 from T. Sagar 453. Vouchers: McGraw 28, Sagar 453, 726.

Brachythecium W. P. Schimper, 1853
Brachythecium are prostrate pleurocarpous mosses of mostly mesic locations. Although this is of the more difficult genera of the Californica mosses, the Santa Monica Mountains are not particularly rich in Brachythecium species, and the four Brachythecium species (B. albicans, B. asperrimum, B. bolanderi, and B. velutinum) so far reported from the Santa Monica Mountains are fairly distinctive. Similar to Scleropodium, most species in this group have lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, plicate leaves that taper gradually (sometimes abruptly) to a narrow point. Most also have only a short costa that often ends at mid-leaf or little beyond it. Unlike Scleropodium , Brachythecium costas end almost always in one or few abaxial spines visible with a compound scope. Additionally, the only Brachythecium species that has as julaceous habit as some Scleropodium species, is Brachythecium collinum, a species that is not expected to occur in the Santa Monica Mountains. When wet, Homalothecium could be confused with Brachythecium. When dry, Homalothecium has a very curly twisted appearance that is never present in Brachythecium. Homalothecium also tends to have a golden yellow cast while Brachythecium is more clearly a green moss. The genus name for Homalothecium refers to a straight capsule, while the genus name for Brachythecium is a reference to a short capsule, characteristic to many species in that genus.

Brachythecium albicans (Hedwig) Bruch & W. P. Schimper - This species is perhaps the most common Brachythecium in the Santa Monica Mountains. Like other Brachythecium species in the range, its costa usually ends at ½ to ¾ of the leaf length, but it is the only one with the plicae extending up at least 1/4 of the leaf length. The others have no plicae, or the plicae is restricted to the leaf base. B. albicans leaves are narrow to a linear with a nearly entire awn, and when the leaves are dry, they overlap closely in an orderly manner. Unlike our other Brachythecium species, B. albicans alar cells (near the leaf margin at the base of the leaf) are translucent. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 7768. Vouchers: Sagar 163, 368, 816, 885, 886.

Brachythecium velutinum (Hedwig) Bruch & W. P. Schimper - The leaves of this species are erect-spreading to loosely ascending, they are not very concave, and the cells are mostly longer than 6:1. The plants are autoicous (the archegonia and antheridia are on the same plant but on different branches), and the sporophytes have setae that are rough with papillae throughout. Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: Sagar 746.

Brachythecium bolanderi (Lesquereux) A. Jaeger - Brachythecium bolanderi is perhaps best looked at together with Amblystegium, Leptodictyum, and Conardia, which all are relatively small creeping mosses of moist habitats, forming thin green patches along the creek bank close to water. It is challenging to separate the species in this group because mosses from wet habitats tend to have a lot of plasticity, showing great variability. Out of the Santa Monica Mountains mosses in this group, Conardia compacta and Leptodictyum riparium have no costa or it is short, ending well below the acumen. Leptodictyum riparium may sometimes have a stronger costa, but unlike other species in this group, the asymmetric leaves are, at least on some stems, inserted somewhat obliquely, and the long median leaf cells are at least 10:1, often more than 15:1. The symmetric Leptodictyum humile leaves are consistently attached to the stem transversely, and the median cells are less than 10:1. The two Leptodictyum species also tend to occur in different microhabitats within the same creek drainage. Leptodictyum riparium will favor slow-moving or stagnant water, while Leptodictyum humile is usually found on soil or on tree roots at the edge of the creeks. Conardia compacta differs from the Leptodictyum spp. in that its leaves are serrate to serrulate at base and its rhizoids tend to be papillose. In the two Amblystegium species (A. serpens and A. juratzkanum) and Brachythecium bolanderi, the costa extends to mid-leaf. Futhermore, Brachythecium bolanderi leaf margins are strongly serrate nearly to base and some of the upper leaf cells have prorations visible under a compound microscope. Both Amblystegium species have nearly entire leaf margins or they are only weekly serrate above middle. They also lack the prorations on distal cells typical to Brachythecium bolanderi. SEM: 2004 T. Sagar 462.

Homalothecium W. P. Schimper in Bruhc & W. P. Schimper, 1851
Out of the three bigger creeping mosses in the Santa Monica Mountians, (Brachythecium, Homalothecium, and Scleropodium), Homalothecium is at the genus level easiest to recognize for what it is. Golden to yellowish green, its leaves twist like locks of curly hair. The leaves vary from ovate to lanceolate with an acuminate point to elongate triangle. If a compound scope is available, the spines on costa can be detected.  This is particularly helpful with Homalothecium arenarium which has several spines closely arranged at the tip of the costa, while the spines in the others are inconspicuous and mostly single. While some Brachythecium species have plicate leaves, the plicae are obscured, while Homalothecium has strong plicae on ovate-lanceolate, concave at base, acuminate leaves.  The overall color of the plants is also helpful in separating Homalothecium from Brachythecium. The latter tends to be more clearly green especially when wet, while Homalothecium is golden to yellowish green. Furthermore, Homalothecium tends to prefer drier sites than Brachythecium which can range from seasonally submerged to mesic to somewhat dry sites.

Homalothecium arenarium (Lesquereux) E. Lawton - Although Homalothecium arenarium is known to occur primarily on sandy soil, in the Santa Monica Mountains it has been observed both at Seminole Hotsprings and at Saddle Peak on sandstone outcrops, and at Boney Ridge on volcanic rock. Although not very abundant here, it is well distributed through out the range. Its leaves are less curled than the other Homalothecium species occurring in the range, and it is therefore more easily confused with Scleropodium than the rest. Microphotos leaf, tip, costa: Cold Cr, Santa Monica Mts, © C. Wishner 2 Dec 2003. Drawing: 1986 P. Wilson. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. W. Jamieson 793. Vouchers: Sagar 147, 290, 771, 813.

Homalothecium aeneum (Mitten) E. Lawton - In Homalothecium aeneum, branching is more obscure, the relatively big leaves (> 2 mm) do not have clusters of spines on the far end of the costa, nor do they have teeth along the basal margin. The branches tend to curl up from substrate similar to H. nuttallii, but other characteristics mentioned above will help separate the two species. H. aeneum has been reported from volcanic rock in Lobo Canyon and along central Malibu Creek. Photo: Santa Monica Mountains; T. Sagar 248. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 21484 & 23663. Vouchers: Sagar 248, 382.

Homalothecium nuttallii (Wilson) A. Jaeger. - Homalothecium nuttallii plants are very regularly branched and the branches are shorter than those on H. pinnatifidum, another rather regularly branched species. The latter is generally not firmly attached to the substrate, and the main shoot coils up when dry. The main shoot of H. nuttallii, on the other hand, does attach firmly to the substrate while the branches that tend to be free, curl up. Additionally, H. nuttallii with leaves less than 2 mm long is a smaller plant than H. pinnatifidum, and it generally has several marginal teeth along the base of the leaf visible with a compound scope.  Photo: on a tan oak; Mendocino Co.; Mar 85 P. Wilson. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. W. Jamieson 252.Vouchers: Sagar 051, 064, 065, 067, 217, 404.

Homalothecium pinnatifidum (Sullivant & Lesquereux) E. Lawton - Dry branches are markedly hamate (hook shaped) and the plants are generally not firmly attached to the substrate--the main shoot coils up when dry.  The plant is pinnate but often obscurely so, and the branchlets are not easily deciduous (not braking off like in H. nuttallii). The leaves are not at all or very little decurrent. The stem leaves are > 2 mm long. Differentiated alar cells which extend farther along the margin than along immediate inframarginal regions, are quadrate to short-rectangular. There are up to 15 differentiated alar cells along the margin and 10 along the base. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 21743. Vouchers: 078, 324, 416, 775.

Scleropodium Bruch & W. P. Schimper, 1835
Scleropodium are prostrate creeping mosses forming loose (sometimes more dense) glossy mats over rock or soil. The tight julaceous branches are telltale of the genus. Furthermore, the plants have smooth, broadly ovate to ovate lanceolate, concave leaves that have plane, entire to serrulate edges. Scleropodium is perhaps the most common creeping moss in the Santa Monica Mountains, well distributed through out the mountains. Out of the six California species, all but one (Scleropodium colpophyllum) have been reported from our range.

Scleropodium touretii (Bridel) L. Koch - Scleropodium touretii is one of the larger Scleropodium species in the Santa Monica Mountains with only Scleropodium obtusifolium being equal to it. Plants form lush thick patches, mainly on soil, and tend to be rather uniform with all the branches being strongly julaceous. At least some stems have leaves with short-acuminate, recurved apiculus. Cells across the leaf base are rectangular (6 - 10:1) in one or two series.  Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 11762. Vouchers: Sagar 801, 811.

Scleropodium obtusifolium (Mitten) Kindberg in  Macoun - Plants form lush thick patches in places that are at least seasonally wet or submerged. Leaves are 1.5 times as long as broad and the cells across the leaf base are rectangular (6 - 10:1) in one or two series. Photo: Humboldt Co; May 87 P. Wilson. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 10679. Vouchers: Sagar 169, 201, 221, 580.     

Scleropodium californicum (Lesquereux) Kindberg - Plants form thin straggling mats and are only suggestive of julaceous habit. S. californicum has narrower, smaller leaves than the above species and the leaves are broadest near the base tapering gradually to an acute apex. Cells across the leaf base are quadrate to short-rectangular (1 - 3:1) in up to six series. Seta is papillose throughout, and the capsule is curved and asymmetric. Illustration: XxXx. Vouchers: Sagar 289, 799.

Scleropodium cespitans (C. Mùller Hal.) L. Koch - Similar to Scleropodium californicum, S. cespitans plants form rather thin straggling mats and are only suggestive of julaceous habit. Leaves are broadest at about 1/3 way up the leaf, and are more or less abruptly contracted to the somewhat obtuse apex. Cells across the leaf base are quadrate to short-rectangular (1 - 3:1) in up to six series. Capsule is erect to inclined. Photo: Santa Monica Mts, 2005 T. Sagar. Microphotos costal spine, cells, leaf: Cold Cr, Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles Co, © C. Wishner 29 Nov 2003. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. W. Jamieson 621. Vouchers: Sagar 800, 828, 835.

Scleropodium julaceum E. Lawton - Scleropodium julaceum plants form rather thin mats. The leaves are broadest at about 1/3 way up the leaf, and are more or less abruptly contracted to the somewhat obtuse apex. Cells across the leaf base are quadrate to short-rectangular (1 - 3:1) in up to six series. Capsule is curved and asymmetric.  SEM: 2004 T. Sagar 351. Voucher: Sagar 672. 

Bryaceae
Bryum Hedwig, 1801
Bryum are minute to robust acrocarpous mosses with rather large hexagonal to rectangular thin-walled cells, and with sporophytes that have pendant to horizontal capsules that are mostly long pear-shaped. There are many more Bryum species in the Santa Monica Mountains that have been identified and confirmed to date. The above four species are perhaps the easiest to recognize.

Bryum argenteum Hedwig - Bryum argenteum is a globally ubiquitous species. It is common in urban areas and often one of the first species to move into a disturbed area. It is easily recognized for its whitish silvery color. It can grow leafy stems up to several millimeters tall, but in the semi-arid Mediterranean climate regime, it will most always remain very short and low to the ground. B. argenteum leaves are broadly ovate and with a costa that barely extends beyond the leaf tip. When dry, the leaves are pressed to the stem and overlapping tightly, and when wet, they spread open only slightly more, leaving the stems somewhat ropy looking. Sporophytes with seta and pink to red, nodding, short pear-shaped, short-necked capsules are rarely present. Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: Sagar 758.

Bryum barnesii Wood in W. P. Schimper - Photos: clone & side: Saddle Peak, Santa Monica Mountains, © C. Wishner 3 Apr 2003.

Bryum capillare Hedwig - Bryum capillare plants are dark green to brownish above and brown to reddish below. They form loose to rather dense patches, and are often mixed in with other mosses. The species is perhaps easier recognized in its dry state when the leaves twist spirally around the stem so that a patch of plants  forms a spread of contorted little knobs. B. capillare leaves are usually crowded in the median and upper part of the stems. They are oblong to ovate, narrowed at base, nearly entire, sometimes with a hint of crenulate edge toward the tip, and somewhat concave. The sporophyte has a tall thick to slender seta, and a cylindric pendant capsule. B. capillare is a disturbance oriented cosmopolitan species that occurs on soil and rock, on cement walls, at bases of trees, and in pockets of dirt in rock outcrops along seasonal drainages. Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: Sagar 950.

Bryum gemmascens? - Microphotos leaf, leaves: Cold Creek, Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles Co, © C. Wishner 29 Nov 2003.
         
Bryum lisae De Notaris. This species occurs on soil and rock in mesic shaded areas. The plants are short, tufted, and yellowish green but with reddish stems. Leaves are oblong-lanceolate with a costa extending well beyond the leaf tip, and with margins strongly revolute nearly to the slightly toothed leaf tip. The leafy stems are not particularly julaceous (ropy), and the leaves are rather evenly arranged along the stem. Under the compound scope, the leaf cells are rectangular at the base of the leaf, and then gradually transition to hexagonal to rhomboidal cells at the mid and upper leaf. B. lisae is synoicous (the antheridia and archegonia are mixed together in the same bud), and the sporophytes are common. Typical to Bryum, the seta is long and the capsule is pendant. The elongated pear-shaped capsule has a long and thick neck, and broadly lanceolate teeth that are abruptly narrowed near their slender tips. B. lisae resembles small forms of B. caespiticium, but the latter is dioicous (the antheridia and archegonia occur on different plants), it has leaves with nearly smooth awn that is less than half as long as the leaf lamina, and the leaf has only a narrow boarder of rectangular cells near the leaf apex, while B. lisae leaf border is more than 3 cells wide. The vegetative plants of B. lisae may also be difficult to separate from B. pallescens reported from southwest geographic region, but the latter is autoicous (the antheridia and archegonia are on the same plant but in separate buds), and its stems have typically numerous short, erect branches and the plants form dense cushions, while B. lisae stems are only sparingly branched and the plants form loose to somewhat dense tufts. Bryum lisae is relatively common throughout the North American west coast from southern Canada to southern California and west to New Mexico, and it is occasional in Utah. Illustration: XxXx. Vouchers: Sagar 670, Sagar 676.

Bryum muehlenbeckii Bruch & W. P. Schimper - The species occurs on soil and rock and it favors moist, wet areas that often are seasonally submerged. It forms dense, green to red-green tufts. The plants have crowded, somewhat rigid, loosely overlapping leaves that will hardly twist or get altered in drying. The leaves lack a well differentiated border and a hairpoint, they are concave, and often cucullate. B. gemmiparum, a species not yet identified from the Santa Monica Mountains, but reported from the southwest geographic region, has leaves that are green to yellow-green and loosely set. Under the compound scope, the lower leaf blade cells in B. muehlenbeckii are quadrate rather than the rectangular seen in B. gemmiparum. Both species commonly bear gemmae, or vegetative propagules, on leaf axils. Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: Sagar 880.

Campyliaceae
Conardia Robinson, 1976
Conardia compacta (C. Mùller Hal.) H. Robinson - A monotypic genus, Conardia compacta is reminiscent of Amblystegium in being a small creeping moss on soil of moist habitats. Unlike Amblystegium, Conardia compacta, however, tends to favor calcareous and alkaline substrates. It is also softer and has longer leaf cells than Amblystegium. When looking at the small creeping moss, it is helpful to keep in mind the characteristics of the other similar mosses. (See Brachythecium bolanderi.) A compound microscope is needed for the final determination. Conardia compacta has papillose rhizoids while other similar local mosses have smooth rhizoids. Additionally, Conardia compacta has crowded, erect to erect-spreading, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, decurrent leaves and double teeth at the edge of the leaf base at least in some leaves. The plants commonly bear filamentous propagula at the back of the leaves above the middle. Microphotos basal margin, midlaminal cells, acumen: Verdugo Mts, Los Angeles Co, © C. Wishner 31 Aug 2002. Drawing © A. Montalvo from H. Crum & W. B. Schofield 5626. Voucher: Sagar 379.

Cryphaeaceae
Dendroalsia abietina (W. J. Hooker) E. Britton in Brotherus - Dendroalsia abietina is endemic to the west coast of North America. In northern California, it is one of the most conspicuous mosses covering tree trunks. Santa Monica Mountains are nearly the southern limit for this species which ranges from northern Mexico (where it is known only from the Guadalupe Island) to British Columbia and inland to Idaho. In the Santa Monica Mountains, Dendroalsia abietina has been observed in the upper Carlisle Canyon in the western portion of the range and on the Goat Butes in the central range. In bothe locations, the plants occur on north facing volcanic outcrops. Due to its large size and distinctive habit, it is easy to recognize. The dry plants curl over in a distinctive manner, and when wet, they appear flat like a feather, pendent from tree limbs or rock face. Paraphyllia, leaf like structures cloaking the branches under the true leaves, are common in this species. In the true branch leaves, the costa is single and ends above mid-leaf. Leaf margins are serrulate to dentate near the leaf tip, and the cells are strongly prorate. The plant is dioicous and inflorescences are numerous. The seta is short, so that the oblong-ovate capsule is barely exserted. Photo: on a live oak; Mendocino Co.; Jan 85 P. Wilson. Drawing © A. Montalvo. Voucher: Sagar 534.

Ditricaceae
Ditrichum Hampe, 1867. nomen conservandum

Ditrichum ambiguum Best - Ditrichum are small acrocarpous mosses with long narrow serrulate leaves. Much like Pleuridium subulatum (not yet collected from the Santa Monicas but likely to occur here), Ditricum ambiguum has a fairly broad costa that fills more than 1/4 of the leaf base. Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: Sagar 369.

Fissidentaceae
Fissidens Hedwig, 1801
The genus name, Fissidens, means split tooth and refers to the forked peristome (teeth at the mouth of the capsule). Out of the several California mosses that have the leaves inserted in two ranks, only two are reported from the Santa Monica Mountains, Fissidens and Bryolawtonia, the latter only from one small occurence in the western end of the range. Besides its leaves laid out like iris leaves giving the plant a flat appearance, Fissidens is quickly recognized for its unusual leaf structure of two lamina of different sizes (dorsal and ventral) fused together along the costa, forming a pocket that clasps the stem. Three species are known from the range, and all of them typical to the genus occur in moist habitats, mainly on soil, but also sometimes on rock. Common and abundant anywhere in the range where moisture is available, Fissidens is often the first species to move to a shaded trailcut. The species can be highly variable and difficult to sort out, but the following characteristics are helpful in the Santa Monica Mountains where only 3 or 4 species of the 600 worldwide are known to occur.

Fissidens bryoides Hedwig - In both, Fissidens bryoides and Fissidens crispus, the dorsal lamina continues to the costa, but F. bryoides has flat cells on the lamina, while F. crispus lamina cells are mamillose. The species occurs in moist to wet habitats. Photo: Humboldt Co.; Nov 89 P. Wilson. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 10238. Watercolor: 1985 P. Wilson. SEM: 2004 T. Sagar 55. Vouchers: Sagar 347, 567.

Fissidens crispus Montagne - In Fissidens crispus the dorsal lamina continues to the costa. Cells on lamina are mamillose. Illustration: XxXx.Voucher: Sagar 498.

Fissidens sublimbatus Grout - By far the most common Fissidens in the range is F. sublimbatus. Its dorsal lamina tapers to extinction before it reaches the costa. It is also a plant of drier habitats than either one of the other two species. Microphoto leaf, apex, wholemount: Seminole Hotsprings, Hennesy Property, Santa Monica Mts, © C. Wishner  17 Apr 2005 from T. Sagar 354. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 22474. Vouchers: Wilson 3726, 3762; Sagar 191, 299, 441, 506, 688, 695, 936.

Funariaceae
Funaria Hedwig, 1801
Out of the six North American genera in the family Funariaceae, only Funaria has been reported from the Santa Monica Mountains, but at least Entosthodon bolanderi has been also collected in southern California and along much of the California coastal ranges. Funaria hygrometrica is a globally common species in disturbed areas, along road sides, ditches, trail edges, and in openings in woodlands and coastal scrub.
          
Funaria hygrometrica Hedwig - Funaria hygrometrica is a globally common species in disturbed areas, along road sides, ditches, trail edges, and in openings in woodlands and coastal scrub. It is an acrocarpous moss with individual plants visible with naked eye, and it produces copious sporophytes with strongly curved and twisted seta and pear shaped capsules. It is furthermore quickly recognized for its asymmetric capsule that has the operculum set in a diagonal, a feature that separates it from most other local mosses including the much smaller and much less common Funaria muhlenbergii. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 24100 & J. van Horn 87. Voucher: Sagar 868.

Funaria muhlenbergii Turner - Smaller and more inconspicuous than Funaria hygrometrica, F. muhlenbergii occurs in small patches on thin rocky soil on small ledges and pockets on north facing volcanic outcrops along Carlisle Canyon in Sandstone Peak area. It is possibly overlooked because of its non-descript habit, reminiscent of the difficult Bryum spp. With a little searching, it may turn out to be much more common in Santa Monica Mountains. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 10690.Voucher: Sagar 837, 924, 928.

Grimmiaceae
Grimmia Hedwig, 1801
There are 93 -270  species in the world in the notoriously difficult genus Grimmia. Out of the 36 reported for California, at least five occur in the Santa Monica Mountains where the genus is the most common moss on rock. Regardless of the worldwide distribution of the genus, most Grimmia prefer temperate parts of the world, and nearly half of the species have restricted distributions. Yet, a single rock outcrop can host several Grimmia species under what appear to be identical conditions. In the Santa Monica Mountains, Grimmia is well distributed across the landscape and habitats. It occurs on rock outcrops in chaparral, riparian areas, woodlands, and on open, exposed outcrops. Although Grimmia trichophylla, for example, has many phenotypes depending on particular environmental conditions, making the identification of the species all the more challenging, with sufficient patience one can come to terms with the local Grimmia. The genus is named for Dr. J. F. K. Grimm, physician and botanist of Gotha, Germany. 

Grimmia laevigata (Bridel) Bridel - The species has rather stiff oblong-lanceolate leaves with broad base. The  leaves are concave, dull whitish green and pressed together when dry and a bit deeper muted green and somewhat spreading when moist. The hair-point is long, denticulate, flattened below and appears to continue down along the leaf edge. Leaf margins are plane (sometimes slightly incurved above). The upper portion of the leaf is bistratose, and the basal juxtacostal cells are rectangular with thin walls. G. laevigata capsules (only occasionally present) are exerted, smooth, ovoid to oblong-cylindric, and with a skull-cap-like calyptra that has a small beak. The species is fairly well distributed through the central and western portions of our range, but it is far less common and occurs in lesser amounts than G. ovalis that it is sometimes confused with. Microphotos leaf, cross-section: Boney Ridge State Wilderness, © C. Wishner 27 Mar 2005 from T. Sagar 778. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 23708. Vouchers: Sagar 032, 778, 823.

Grimmia lisae De Notaris - Grimmia lisae appears to be well distributed through out the Santa Monica Mountains and may turn out to be more common than G. ovalis. Overall reminiscent of G. trichopylla, G. lisae forms loose dark green tufts on shaded boulders and in pockets of dirt on rock outcrops. When moist, unlike G. trichophylla, G. lisae leaves are squarrose or twisting open making the plants look like patches of miniature pinwheels; when dry, the leaves are erect and appressed. G. lisae hair-point is highly variable ranging from no hair-point to one that is rather long, stout, and denticulate. Its leaf margin also varies from being recurved on only one side to being recurved on both sides. In profile, the leaf midrib forms an arc, and like in G. trichophylla, a cross-section will show occasional bistratose ridges. In comparison, G. trichopylla leaves tend to be somewhat longer and narrower than G. lisae, and in profile they form a mild s-shape rather than an arc. Photo: on rock outcrop, in open grassy county, serpentine nearby; just n of Manning Cr and Hwy 175, sw of Lakeport, Lake Co; © 25 May 2002 John Game. Microphotos cross-section, section of margin: Zuma Canyon near Newton Falls, Santa Monica Mts, © C. Wishner 2 Apr 2005 from T. Sagar 795. Vouchers: 769, 794, 803, 841, 944, 949.

Grimmia ovalis (Hedwig) Lindberg - Another common moss in the Santa Monica Mountains and through out the western North America, Grimmia ovalis forms loose, dark green tufts which occasionally bear sporophytes that are upright when moist (rather than having the seta bow down as in G. pulvinata). The loose cushions may appear somewhat hoary due to the transparent hair-points on the leaves, but G. ovalis is extremely variable species and does not always have hair-points. The species is often confused with G. laevigata, but in profile G. laevigata leaves are concave and essentially straight, while G. ovalis leaf profile forms a somewhat shallow s-shape. Microphotos cells, leaf: Zuma Canyon near Newton Falls, © C. Wishner 2 Apr 2005 from T. Sagar 795. Drawing © A. Montalvo from A. Hulphers 1928 .Voucher: Sagar 795.

Grimmia pulvinata (Hedwig) J. E. Smith - The most common Grimmia in the world, Grimmia pulvinata stands out as the Grimmia easily recognized by its overall look. It forms tight, more or less round or oval hoary cushions from the size of a dime to a patch that is several centimeters across. Sporophytes are common, with the seta curving down in the immature plants and then straightening up, so that when the capsule dries, the operculum with the reddish reflexed teeth is visible with the naked eye or at least under 10X hand lens. Grimmia pulvinata is known to occur together with G. orbicularis and could be confused with it, but the latter has a round capsule while the former has a capsule that is a bit elongated. G. orbicularis has not yet been observed in the Santa Monica Mountains, but it is known from a few scattered localities in the American Southwest, and could occur in our range. Under the compound scope, Grimmia pulvinata has short-rectangular, thin walled cells at the base of the leaf near the costa, and the cross section of a leaf will show two layers of cells at the leaf margin, while the juxtacostal basal cells in G. orbicularis are long-rectangular with thick and nodulose lateral walls, and a cross-section of the leaf blade will show only one layer of cells. Photo © C. Wishner from P. Wilson 3669.  Drawing: 1983 P. Wilson. Drawing © A. Montalvo from G. R. Cedergren 11 June 1922. Vouchers: Sagar 825, 846.

Grimmia trichophylla Greville. As mentioned above, G. trichophylla is highly variable, but the sharply keeled, narrowly lanceolate leaves with recurved margins and mostly unistratose leaf lamina will usually distinguish it. Photo © C. Wishner from P. Wilson 3669.  Drawing: 1983 P. Wilson. Drawing © A. Montalvo from G. R. Cedergren 11 June 1922. Vouchers: Sagar 365, 493, 826.

Schistidium Bruch & W.P. Schimper in Bruch & W.P. Schimper, 1845
Schistidium was in the past included in Grimmia, and shares morphological similarities with it, such as its lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate leaves. In the field, Schistidium can be readily recognized from Grimmia for its dark reddish brown coloration, habit of loose cushions, immersed capsules, and occurrence in seasonal seepages. While both genera occur on rock outcrops, Grimmia tends to occurs in much drier lower elevation habitats than the mesophilic high elevation Schistidium.  Schistidium can be found on open bedrock in areas where other species would prefer cracks with at least some soil. The two species out of ten known  to occur in California have been collected in the Santa Monica Mountains: S. cinclidodonteum and Schistidium species A according to the Norris-Shevock key. Both species occur on exposed bedrock in high elevation areass with seasonal drainage or seepage. In all known location in Santa Monica Mountains, S. cinclidodonteum is seasonally submerged while Schstidium species A appears to prefer somewhat higher ground that is merely wet from seepage rather than fully submerged.

Schistidium Species A in Norris and Shevock. The plants have lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate leaves with margins are at least on one side recurved near the base; the transverse walls of basal marginal cells are not thickened. The capsule has deep red peristome with very few perforations. Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: Sagar 772.

Hedwigiaceae
Hedwigia Palisot de Beauvois, 1840
Hedwigia are loosely arranged small patches of grey green creeping plants on volcanic rock in the central and western portions of the range. The plants have concave papillose leaves with long hairpoints that give the patches a hoary appearance. Usually the plants are mixed in with other mosses, commonly with various Grimmia and Scleropodium species. Hedwigia is more tolerant of open habitats than most mosses, frequently remaining completely exposed, although generally, nevertheless, on northerly facing slopes of the boulders and ridgelines. Besides the distinctive habit and environment, the irregular branched somewhat starfish- or amoeba-shaped papillae further confirm the identity of the species under a compound scope.

Hedwigia detonsa (Howe) W. R. Buck & Norris - Out of the three Hedwigia species know from California, only Hedwigia detonsa has been confirmed for the Santa Monica Mountains. It has consistently only 1-2 papillae on the upper laminal cells, and the awns of the vegetative leaves have spines. The perichaetial leaves are abruptly larger than the vegetative leaves on adjacent branches and they do not have marginal cilia.The other two, however, could occur within the range.  Photo, SEM: 2004 T. Sagar 399. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 22333. Vouchers: Sagar 098, 155, 164, 774.

Hedwigia ciliata (Hedwig) Palisot de Beauvois. The abaxial surface of some of the upper laminal cells have more than 2 papillae and the apical cell of the awn is usually truncate. Illustration: XxXx.

Leucodontaceae
Pterogonium gracile (Hedwig) J. E. Smith - Pterogonium gracile is the most julaceous of our three sub-plumose mosses (the other two being Bestia longipes and Dendroalsia abietina), forming patches of up to 2-3 square feet large, but occurring also as scattered tufts and individuals mixed in with other mosses. In the field, this species could be easily confused with Antitrichia californica, but that species does not occur in the Santa Monica Mountains. Pterogonium gracile occurs often on the same or nearby boulders with Bestia longipes. Although the latter species can be somewhat ropy and stringy like the Pterogonium, it tends to form looser mats than the tight bird-claw like habit of Pterogonium gracile. Photos dry & wet: Santa Monica Mountains; Feb 2005 T. Sagar. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 7889B. Vouchers: Sagar 740, 827. 

Leskeaceae
Claopodium (Lesquereux & T. P. James) Renauld & Cardot, 1893
Claopodium whippleanum (Sullivant) Renauld & Cardot - Claopodium is a small green to golden green creeping moss on moist soil. Although it forms only minor patches in the Santa Monica Mountains, it is relatively frequent throughout the range in the more mesic drainages. Only one Claopodium species, Claopodium whippleanum, is found in our mountains. The other two California Claopodium species (C. crispifolium and C. bolanderi) are known from the north coast acidic pine forests. They are not likely to occur in our semi-arid chaparral and oak woodland conditions. When dry, Claopodium is easily recognized under a hand lens for its chain link like appearance as typical to many species in the Leskeaceae, the leaf tips arc toward the stem in braded orderliness. Further inspection with the help of a compound scope will reveal elongate papillose cells. Photo Sinkyone Wilderness, P. Wilson August 2005. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 21866.Vouchers: Sagar 785, 830, 918.

Mniaceae
Pohlia Hedwig, 1801
Named in honor the physician Johannes E. Pohl of Dresden, Pohlia is a highly diverse genus with twenty species known for California. Yet, only two has been observed in the Santa Monica Mountains. Plants are small and acrocarpous, but may be confused to a creeping moss while growing in wetter areas, along creeks or in a trickle of water where they may grow a longer stem and appear somewhat prostrate. Pohlia may be best recognized for its spring green to almost whitish green patches textured by loosely arranged lanceolate to linear lanceolate leaves, and for its wet habitat. Although not a true aquatic species, Pohlia often occurs next to or even right in the trickling thin sheets of water, which may be the same or similar locations where one might find Amblystegium. Bigger and coarser textured than Amblystegium, Pohlia is big enough to see with naked eye or with the help of a hand lens. The ovate to lanceolate to linear lanceolate leaf shapes are overall wider than those in the green to yellowish green Amblystegium, and lack the long tapering leaf tip of the latter. Also, Amblystegium is a true creeping moss while Pohlia is not. It is good to keep in mind, however, that aquatic mosses and mosses of very wet areas have a lot of plasticity. Two individuals of the same species may look very different from each other, and a compound scope will be necessary to identify them even to the genus. The two Pohlia species reported from the Santa Monica Mountains are nearly identical with upper leaves longer, lanceolate to linear lanceolate, and lower leaves shorter and broader, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, but Pohlia camptotrachela commonly has gemmae, vegetative propagula, in the leaf axils while Pohlia wahlenbergii does not. Two other California Pohlia species, P. drummondii and P. filum which potentially could occur in the range, also have gemmae, but they have at most 2 propagules per leaf axil and the propagula are not stalked, while P. camptotrachela gemmae are in clusters of more than 3 per leaf axil, and the propagula have short stalks.

Pohlia camptotrachela (Renauld & Cardot) - Upper leaves are longer, lanceolate to linear lanceolate, and lower leaves shorter and broader, ovate to ovate-lanceolate. Plants commonly have gemmae, vegetative propagula. The gemmae are in clusters of more than 3 per leaf axil and they have short stalks.   Illustration: XxXx. Vouchers: Sagar 087, 761.

Pohlia wahlenbergii (Weber & D. Mohr) - Upper leaves are longer, lanceolate to linear lanceolate, and lower leaves shorter and broader, ovate to ovate-lanceolate. Plants do not have gemmae (vegetative propagula).  Microphotos leaf margin, archegonia, wholemount, leaf: Cold Creek, Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles Co, © C. Wishner 28 Dec 2003. Illustration: XxXx. Vouchers: McGraw 022; Sagar 562.

Out of the California Pohlia not yet mentioned here, at least Pohlia nutans is a likely species to occur in the Santa Monica Mountains. This species does better than most Pohlia in dryer locations, and is often quick to move to a disturbed sites such as trail edges. Sporophytes with bright orange seta and the cylindric, narrowly pear shaped, often pendant capsules are common, often forming conspicuous dense stands in style of Funaria hygrometrica.

Orthotrichaceae
Orthotrichum Hedwig, 1801
In the Santa Monica Mountains, Orthotrichum is one of the few mosses that occur on trees--mainly on oak and sometimes on large willows. They are never plentiful in the semi-arid conditions of the range, yet they are fairly diverse among our genera. Even so, only six out of the 31 species reported for California occur here. Orthotrichum are dark green scattered tufts in bark crevices of course bark and sometimes on rock. In Northern California, the plants can grow quite large and produce considerable branching, but the plants in our range are only little branched and mostly quite small, easily overlooked in the bark crevices. The ovate-lanceolate to oblong lanceolate leaves are generally crowded and often contorted when dry. They are mostly acute, rarely awned (none of Santa Monica Mountains plants show awns), usually keeled, and mostly with an entire margin. There are nearly always sporophytes available, which is fortunate because many of the characteristics used to identify Orthotrichum to species are sporophytic. In many cases, a compound scope is necessary to look at the sporophytic characteristics, but several larger characteristics can be helpful, such as the position of the capsules in respect to the surrounding perichaetial leaves. The capsules can be immersed to exserted, they are broadly ovoid to oblong-cylindric, sometimes pear shaped.

Orthotrichum affine Bridel - The species has an immersed capsule that is strangulate (sucked in) and strongly ribbed from the mouth of the capsule to the base. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 9423 & 10541. Voucher: Sagar 211.        

Orthotrichum bolanderi Sullivant - The species occurs almost always on rock. It is nearly black green, and the leaf blade consists of two layers of cells. The leaves are subsheathing at base and the leaf margin is incurved to plane throughout. The ovoid-cylindric capsule has a long, wrinkled neck and reflexed exostome teeth. Voucher: Sagar 372.

Orthotrichum flowersii Vitt - Perhaps the most common Orthotrichum in the Santa Monica Mountains, Orthotrichum flowersii is a small species occurring on oak. Its oblong capsules are only lightly sulcate (longitudinally grooved), and mainly so only close to the strangulate mouth. If the endostome can be viewed, it has 8 segments. Illustration: XxXx. Vouchers: Sagar 036, 241, 302.

Orthotrichum hallii Sullivant & Lesquereux in Sullivant - Plants are olive to dark green and occur in tufts on oak, although elsewhere in western North America O. hallii is known to occur mostly on rock. Like O. bolanderi, O. hallii has a two layers of cells on the leaf blade, but the leaf margins are recurved (rather than incurved) at least at the base and often through most of the leaf. Illustration: XxXx. Vouchers: Sagar 708.

Orthotrichum tenellum Bruch ex Bridel - grows in light- to dark-green tufts on bark. It has small, blunt, stiffly erect leaves, a naked (or sparsely hairy) calyptra. The sporophyte is immersed so that the apices of the nearest perichaetial leaves are above the mouth of the capsule. The narrowly cylindric, strongly ribbed (when old) capsule has deeply immersed stomata. Drawing © A. Montalvo from C. J. W. Carmiggelt 25B. SEM: some cilia mising; Jun 2004 T. Sagar. Voucher: XxXx.

Orthotrichum texanum Sullivant & Lesquereux - The sporophyte is immersed so that the apices of the nearest perichaetial leaves are above the mouth of the capsule, and the calyptra is hairy. Orthotrichum texanum grows in small, tight tufts on rocks and trees, and has a desely papillose exostome. Illustration: XxXx. Vouchers: Sagar 007, 037, 504.

Pottiaceae
Aloina Kindberg, 1882
Aloina are small plants that occur mainly on seasonally dry soil and have deeply concave leaves with incurved margins folding over a tightly packed cushion of photosynthetic filaments. This makes the plants appear rather succulent, reminiscent of miniature aloe plants. The range of the genus extends to the deserts but also to parts of the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Range. Four species of Aloina (out of five known from California) have been reported from the Santa Monica Mountains, although there is some question about the identification. Crossidium is another small acrocarpous moss in similar habitats as Aloina, and it also has a cushion of tightly packed filaments on its leaves. However, Crossidium leaf margins are reflexed or curl under so that the filaments on the leaf surface are not obscured. The adaxial filaments and lammelae of Aloina, Crossidium, and Polytrichum are thought to slow down the process of drying out and/or help draw water up from the surface of the soil through capillary action. Crossidium has not been reported from the Santa Monica Mountains as yet.

Aloina ambigua (Bruch & W. P. Schimper) Limpricht - Aloina ambigua and A. rigida were both collected on soil along a ridgeline between Cheeseboro and Palo Comado Canyons in the hotter dryer part of the range. Cells along the leaf edge are similar to the adjacent interior cells and do not form a well-demarcated border as they do in A. rigida. A compound scope is necessary to see whether the cells along the leaf edge are similar to the adjacent interior cells (A. ambigua) or form a well-demarcated border (A. rigida). Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: Sagar 728.

Aloina bifrons (De Notaris) Delgadillo - Only one of our Aloina species, Aloina bifrons, has a leaf with a hyaline awn. So far it has been collected only from one location in the central part of the range where it grows as scattered individuals on pillow lava high above water in a seasonal drainage. Dry plants have a somewhat twisted look with the long hyaline awns giving the scattered plants a hoary look. The wet leaves are succulent making the plants resemble tiny aloe plants. The leaf border folds over the cushion of photosynthetic filaments (as opposed to being recurved as in Crossidium), a feature that is best seen in a cross-section under the compound scope.  Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: Sagar 088.

Aloina rigida (Hedwig) Limpricht - Cells along the leaf edge form a well-demarcated border. Drawing © A. Montalvo from W. D. Reese 10614. Voucher: Sagar 371.

Crumia W. B. Schofield, 1966
Crumia latifolia (Kindberg) W. B. Schoefield - Endemic to the west coast of North America, Crumia latifolia is named after Howard Crum, one of the foremost Bryologist in the world and an author of many excellent books on bryophytes. This species has broad dark green leaves that are often reddish brown below, and it inhabits seeps and areas with creek splash. Easily recognized, it can hardly be mistaken for anything other than the species that it is. It often favors calcareous substrates, and although not extensive, it occurs as scattered individuals or forms loosely packed mounds on rock outcrops near water around many of the waterfalls in the more shaded drainages of the range. In the Santa Monica Mountains, some Tortula and Syntrichia species have similar spatula shaped leaves with multiple papillae, but they are generally species of drier habitats. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 11974. Voucher: Sagar 364.

Didymodon Hedwig, 1801
Didymodon is one of the most common and most diverse moss genera in the Santa Monica Mountains. Several Didymodon species has been reported from the range, along with other similar species with lanceolate leaves that have densely papillose quadrate cells and entire, often somewhat recurved margins. Pseudocrossidium obtusulum and Triquetrella californica have not been collected from the range yet, but being mosses of semiarid (Pseudocrossidium obtusulum) and near ocean locations (Triquetrella californica), they could occur here. Both Bryoerythrophyllum species and Pseudocrossidium obtusulum have densely papillose leaves. Pseudocrossidium leaves are additionally extremely recurved with the margin turning under a full spiral.

Didymodon australasiae (W. J. Hooker & Greville) Zander - In looking at Didymodon, a helpful characteristic to get used to is whether the leaf is keeled or not, which is visible with the help of a handlense. Of the species occurring in the Santa Monica Mountains, D. nicholsonii and D. viniales are keeled, D. australasiae and D. rigidulus are not. Typically, Didymodon papillae are cobblestone papillae (stone touching stone), while D. australasiae papillae are separate from each other, and they are very small, hairpoint papillae. Illustration: XxXx. Vouchers: Sagar 331, 343, 362, 371, 387, 729.

Didymodon nicholsonii Culmann - D. nicholsonii can be recognized for its very narrow leaves, and there are commonly rhizoids at the leaf tips. Illustration: XxXx Vouchers: Sagar 030, 301.

Didymodon norrisii Zander - This species occurs in areas of sheet drainage. A fragile moss, it can be recognized in the field from its broken stems scattered in the cushions. Closer inspection will reveal extremely crenulate-papillose leaf margins. It is not a very common Didymodon species in the range. Illustration: XxXx Voucher: Sagar 821.

Didymodon occidentalis Zander - Drawing © A. Montalvo from F. J. Hermann 25886.Vouchers:XxXx

Didymodon revolutus (Cardot) R. S. Williams - Didymodon revolutus has not yet been reported from the Santa Monica Mountains, but it is a species that could occur here. A moss with a very broad costa and leaf margins recurved nearly to apex, its best defining feature, branched tip of the costa, is microscopic. The species favors calcareous rocks.  Drawing © A. Montalvo from A. J. Sharp 1910.

Didymodon rigidulus Hedwig - To separate D. australasiae from D. rigidulus, a compound scope is necessary. D. australasiae basal cells of the leaf are much enlarged, while in D. rigidulus they are only slightly so. Microphotos wholemount, leaf margin, ?axilary hair?, leaf: Santa Monica Mountains, © C. Wishner  2004. Drawing © A. Montalvo from R. A. Pursell & A. J. Sharp 3458. - Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 15 March 1973.

Didymodon tophaceus (Bridel) Lisa - Didymodon tophaceous could be mixed with Triquetrella californica, but the pronounced decurrency of the leaves will give Didymodon tophaceous away. The two species has also different habitat preferences. The few collections of Triquetrella californica in California have all come from shallow soils down slopw from rock outcrops in grassy areas near the ocean. Didymodon tophaceous, on the other hand, favors calcareous seeps in the more shaded drainages, where it is more likely to be confused with Eucladium verticillatum. Didymodon tophaceous is, however, yellowish green as opposed to the dark green of Eucladium verticillatum, and under the compound scope, the latter will show a few very small teeth near the base of the leaf. Both latter two species are nearly always crusted in calcareous crystals and will need to be soaked in household vinegar to free the leaves for microscopic inspection. Microphotos cross-section, wholemount: Chino Hills, Brea Canyon © C. Wishner  2 April 2002. Microphoto leaf apex: Saddle Peak at Schueren Rd and Saddle Peak Rd, © C. Wishner  6 Apr 2004 from T. Sagar 341. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 22762. Vouchers: Sagar 332, 241, 714.

Didymodon vinealis (Bridel) Zander - Microphotos cross-section, costa, apex, leaves: Zuma Canyon near Newton Falls, © C. Wishner 1 Feb 2004 from T. Sagar 13  Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 7663. Vouchers: Sagar 013, 060, 117, 317, 327, 501, 712, 857.

Eucladium Bruch & W. P. Schimper, 1846
Eucladium verticillatum (Hedwig in Bridel) Bruch & W. P. Schimper - Only one Eucladium species is known from California and southwest United State. The plants form crusted, lumpy tufts and extensive cushions on usually calcareous substrates along edges of waterfalls, and on rocks with seeps and creek splash. It occurs in the Santa Monica Mountains in most of the major drainages and is easily recognized for its habit and bluish green coloration. Eucladium verticillatum leaves are long, narrow, with flat crenulate margins, and strongly papillose which makes the leaf opaque. In the Santa Monica Mountains, it could be confused with Didymodon tophaceous  which has a similar morphology and can occur in the same location or near by. It bears sporophytes only raerly. Didymodon tophaceous, however, lacks the mucro (a clear cell that forms a short point) at the tip of the Eucladium leaf as well as the few teeth at the base of the leaf typical to Eucladium.  Photo: Santa Monica Mountains, 2005 T. Sagar. Photo scene; microphoto leaf base, wholemount, leaf tip, habit: Cold Creek Nature Preserve, Santa Monica Mountains, © C. Wishner specimen for microphotos 1 Dec 2003.  Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 10203. Vouchers: McGraw 04; Sagar 454, 665.

Gymnostomum Nees & Hornschuch in Nees, Hornschuch, & Sturm, 1823
Although Gymnostomum is known to form dense large cushions, the two populations so far known from the SMM are narrow, only somewhat dense patches along shady crevises of a volcanic rock outcrop and on a side of a sandstone boulder. Both locations have calcareous seeps, but they are dryer locations that the plants apparently are elsewhere in California and southwestern United States found in. If not for the dryness of the habitat and the rather small sparse patches, morphologically the species could possibly be confused with Eucladium verticillatum and some of the Didymodon species of calcareous substrates that have lanceolate papillose leaves. The olive-green Gymnostomum, however, is at least in our range much smaller than the species mentioned above. It lacks the teeth usually present at the base of the leaf in Eucladium verticillatum, and unlike Didymodon, as its Greek name naked mouth indicates, Gymnostomum lacks the teeth on the rim of its chalice-like capsule, a useful feature as the species is commonly found with sporophytes. To separate the two Gymnostomum species, G. aeruginosum and G. calcareum, reported from the Santa Monica Mountians, a compound scope with a scale is necessary as the differences are merely the width of the costa base and the size of the cells in the leaf apex.
Gymnostomum aeruginosum J. E. Smith - Costa is less than 50 μm wide at base, and the cells near leaf apex are 7-8 μm. Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: Sagar 753.

Gymnostomum calcareum Nees & Hornschuch - Costa is more than 60 μm wide at base, and the cells near leaf apex are more than 10 μm.  Photos top & side: Santa Monica Mts., T. Sagar.  Drawing © A. Montalvo from R. R. Ireland 8837. SEM: P. Wilson . Vouchers: Sagar 313, 568.

Hennediella Paris, 1896
Hennediella are small upright mosses with spreading leaves and can be found scattered on moist soil along dirt roads and trails. They could be confused with some of the medium sized Tortula species but the California species of Hennediella have a trace of a border of  somewhat elongate cells on the leaves. Only H. heimii has been reported form the Santa Monica Mountains.

Hennediella heimii (Hedwig) Zander - The border of elongate cells on leaves is less obvious than that in H. stanfordensis. The leaves have a few small teeth at the leaf tip. Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: XxXx.

Hennediella stanfordensis (W. C. Steere) Blockeel - The plants have an obvious border of elongate cells at the leaf margin and the leaves have a few small teeth at the leaf tip.Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: Sagar 1052.

Microbryum W. P. Schimper, 1860
Microbryum are ephemeral small bulbiform acrocarpous mosses on exposed seasonally moist soil. They are so small that they are rarely collected intentionally, and generally are noticed only when they bear sporophytes. The sporophytes with elliptic to short cylindric capsules with no or reduced teeth are erect and rise above the papillose, broad, mucronate leaves. Only one Microbryum has been reported from the SMM, but M. starckeanum has been collected in the southwest geographic region and could occur in the range. 

Microbryum davallianum (J. E. Smith in Drake) Zander - M. davallianum has leaves that are mostly more than twice as long as they are wide and the mucro at the tip of the leaf is reddish. Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: Wilson 3725.

Microbryum starckeanum (Hedwig) Zander - The leaves are mostly less than twice long than they are wide, and the mucro at the tip of the leaf is yellowish.  Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: Sagar 1097.

Syntrichia Bridel, 1801
Syntrichia bears many similarities with Tortula which it has been segregated from. Both have broad, tongue-shaped, densely papillose leaves that often bear hair-points, and both commonly have sporophytes which generally have long, more or less twisted peristome. Besides the general guideline that most of the larger species of Tortula were placed in Syntrichia, the two genera can be distinguished from each other based on the costa cross-section morphology. Both genera show a band of thick-walled cells in the costa cross-section (stereid band), but in Tortula it is elliptic and in Syntrichia it is crescent shaped. Although only the two most common Syntrichia species, S. princepts  and S. ruralis, have been so far observed from the Santa Monica Mountains, many others could occur in the range, because the genus is thought of being particularly well adapted to the Mediterranean climate conditions. Among the Syntrichia reported from the southwest geographic region, only S. bolanderi consistently shows no hair-point, although it may sometimes have a short mucro at the tip of the leaf. All others have a hyaline awn present at least on some leaves, and the leaf lamina is bistratose only at the margins or apex if at all. Syntrichia papillosa, S. pagorum, and S. bartramii all have a plane leaf margin except for an occasional inconspicuous recurvature below mid-leaf. Additionally, S. papillosa, a plant of riparian corridors, has papillae only on underside (abaxial side) of the leaf, and the plants have conspicuous gemmae on their leaves, while both S. pagorum, a plant of cultivated areas, and S. bartramii, a desert species, have cells with multiple papillae on both leaf surfaces. S. bartramii bears no gemmae at all. S. pagorum does have gemmae, but they look like leaves. They can be recognized for their placement in clusters in the leaf axils near the stem apex.

Syntrichia bartramii (W. C. Steere in Grout) Zander - Leaf margin is plane except for an occasional inconspicuous recurvature below mid-leaf. Drawing © A. Montalvo from W. A. Weber & G. Kunkel B-44678.

Syntrichia bolanderi (Lesquereux & T. P. James) Zander - Illustration: XxXx.

Syntrichia laevipila Bridel. Recurved leaf margin, and rather flexuous awn. Drawing © A. Montalvo from L. Berti 434.

Syntrichia norvegica Weber - The plants have recurved leaf margin, and rather rigid awn crowded with teeth. Species has separate male and female plants. Syntrichia norvegica is mainly a plant of moist rocks at high elevation, a habitat in short supply in the Santa Monica Mountains. Microphotos cross-section, leaf tip, cells Upper Kinney L, Alpine Co, © C. Wishner 12 Oct 2003. Drawing © A. Montalvo from F. J. Hermann 25940.

Syntrichia pagorum (Milde) Amann - Leaf margin is plane except for an occasional inconspicuous recurvature below mid-leaf.  Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 64-1.

Syntrichia papillosa (Wilson in Spruce) Juratzka - Leaf margin is plane except for an occasional inconspicuous recurvature below mid-leaf. Drawing © A. Montalvo from F. J. Hermann 25757.

Syntrichia princepts (De Notaris) Mitten - The plants have recurved leaf margin and rather rigid awn crowded with teeth.  Leaf cross-section shows hydroids and a central strand in the stem cross-section. Plants are mostly synoicous (the archegonia and antheridia are mixed in the same perichaetium). Photo: the moss formerly known as Tortula princeps P. Wilson.  Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 21655. From cultures: leaf; regeneration from leaf; © 2004 Lloyd Stark.  SEM: 2004 T. Sagar 490. Voucher: Sagar 780.

Syntrichia ruralis (Hedwig) Weber & D. Mohr - The leaf margin of this species is recurved nearly to the apex. The leaf has a rigid awn that is crowded with teeth, hyaline nearly throughout, and sometimes reddish-brown near the base. Species has separate male and female plants. S. ruralis is a generalist species that does not have very specific habitat requirements. Drawing © A. Montalvo from A. C. Crundwell 11 April 1967 (as Tortula rualiformis). Drawing © A. Montalvo from W. C. Steere 10446.

Timmiella (De Notaris) Limpricht in Rabenhorst, 1888
Timmiella is a common, acrocarpous, somewhat weedy moss of trail edges, creek banks, and other areas of minor to moderate disturbance. It can occur as scattered individuals or more dense patches on seasonally moist soil and it is often mixed with other mosses such as species of Didymodon, Bryum, and Weissia that also do well in the areas of some disturbance. Timmiella is one of the larger acrocarpous mosses on soil in the Santa Monica Mountains, and easily identified in the field for its opaque, apple green, narrowly lanceolate leaves with an incurved margin when wet, and when dry, for its contorted coiled habit that leaves the broad costa visible at the back of the curled up leaf. This moss is characterized by leaves that are composed of two layers of bulging mamillose cells on the ventral (the side away from the substrate) surface, a feature that is best appreciated in a cross section viewed under the compound scope.

Timmiella anomala (Bruch & W. P. Schimper) Limpricht - Leaf base is nearly the same width than the limb. Sporophytes are rarely available, but the peristome is twisted. Illustration: XxXx.

Timmiella crassinervis (Hampe) L. Koch - Straight peristome. Leaf base is much broader than the limb. Sporophytes are rarely available, but the peristome is straight. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 11737.

Tortula Hedwig, 1801
Tortula are small plants with simple or little forked stems. They have broad, spatulate or tounge-like, usually ovate to elliptic or obovate leaves that are twisted when dry, and upright spreading to squarrose when moist. The tip of the leaf is acute in some of the Tortula species, rather blunt in others, and some, like Tortula brevipes, have hair-points which may be up to 4 mm long, giving the tufts of plants a frosty look. A long spiraling peristome consisting of filiform divisions is characteristic of the genus. Most of the larger sized members previously included in Tortula are now placed in Syntrichia. Both genera have a single abaxial stereid band in the costal cross-section, but in Tortula the band is elliptic while in Syntrichia it is crescent shaped. So far, only Tortula atrovirens, Tortula brevipes, and Tortula muralis have been observed in the Santa Monica Mountains, but several others have been collected in the Soutwest geographic subdivision.  Tortula californica, Tortula guepinii, Tortula inermis, and Tortula plinthobia could also occur in our range.

Tortula atrovirens (J. E. Smith) Lindberg - Tortula atrovirens , Tortula inermis, and Tortula protobryoides, are the three Tortula species in the Southwest geographic region that consistently do not have a hyaline leaf point. In all of them, the leaf cells are generally densely papillose, and the leaf is not bordered by elongate cells, or the border is restricted to the leaf base. Tortula atrovirens differs from the other southwest Tortula in that it has a thick cushion of enlarged cells on the ventral surface of the costa at the upper portion of the leaf near the tip of the leaf, making the costa convex or bulging. Tortula atrovirens plants are green above, tan below, and often have reddish leaf tips. It occurs on exposed calcareous soil and rock. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 10219c. Vouchers: Sagar 259, 673.

Tortula brevipes (Lesquereux) Brotherus - Both Tortula plinthobia and Tortula brevipes have leaves mostly more than 2 mm long. The former has an awn mostly less than 2 mm, and often the leaves are simply mucronate, ending up with a short extension of the costa. The latter, typically has long, nearly smooth awns that are often up to 4 mm long. Other distinguishing characteristics for Tortula brevipes are entire, strongly revolute margins and cells with more than one papillae. The species can be locally frequent on soil and rock, and may integrade with Tortula muralis. Drawing © A. Montalvo from S. Flowers 12. Voucher: Sagar 690.

Tortula californica E. B. Bartram - Among the Tortula species with hyaline points at least on some leaves, Tortula californica is the only one with typically smooth leaf cells. The others in this group have papillose (bumpy) leaf cells, and they are usually densely so. Tortula californica is furthermore characterized by leaves with smooth hair points and plane margins. It occurs on soil or rock, either scattered or in thin, bright-green to brown tufts. Illustration: TrCalif (Photo). Voucher: Sagar 16 SFV20481.

Tortula guepinii (Bruch & W. P. Schimper) Brotherus - Tortula guepinii, Tortula plinthobia and Tortula brevipes are all plants of carcareous or desert soils, and none of them have a border with thicker-walled cells. Tortula guepinii leaves are seldom longer then 1.5 mm, and its cells along the leaf margin are more lightly papillose than the adjacent cells. It occurs mainly on seasonally dry lowland soil near coast. Illustration: XxXx. Vouchers: Sagar 1068.

Tortula inermis Bridel -  A species of soil and rock, Tortula inermis has an obtuse to mucronate leaf apex. Its leaves do not form a tight bulbiform cluster but fold lengthwise, and they are twisted when dry. Photo: dry gametophyte; wet gametophyte; leaves; © 2004 Lloyd Stark. Vouchers: Sagar 304 SFV20551

Tortula muralis Hedwig - Tortula muralis can be separated from the remaining species by its leaves being bordered by thicker-walled cells with thickened cell corners, a characteristic visible only with a compound scope. But in encountering small light green when wet, muted grayish green when dry patches of acrocarpous moss with a hoary cast on rock faces, or cement and brickwalls one might suspect Tortula muralis and look for sporophytes with spiraling peristome. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 8295.

Tortula plinthobia (Sullivant & Lesquereux in A. Gray) Brotherus - The leaves are often only mucronate, lacking awns, and the mucro (or the very short awn) is irregularly low serrulate near the apex. If the peristome can be viewed, it does not have a basal membrane. Illustration: XxXx.

Tortula systylia (W. P. Schimper) Lindberg - Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: Sagar 1093.

Trichostomum Hedwig, 1801
Trichostomum are small to medium-sized upright plants with long rather narrowly lanceolate leaves. They are reminiscent of some of the Didymodon sepcies, but the midrib extends beyond the leaf tip as a mucro or a point that is a few cells long.

Trichostomum crispulum Bruch ex F. Muell. - Leaf margins are erect and the leaf apex is often somewhat cucullate (hooded). Known to occur on calcareous rock and occasionally on trees. Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: XxXx

Trichostomum brachydontium Bruch ex F. Muell. - Much like T. crispulum but the mucro at the leaf tip is short and the leaf apex is merely channeled or recurved, not hooded. Reported from soil. Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: XxXx

Weissia Hedwig, 1801
Weissia is often collected unintentionally, mixed in Timmiella or other soil mosses, and in fact, in its dry state, it could be mistaken for a small Timmiella. When dry, the leaves of both species are strongly incurved and contorted, creating a look of messy wiry coils packed together to form a patch. Not only is Weissia a much smaller plant than Timmiella, but in most Weissia species the bumps on the leaf cells are small (papillae), while the bumps on Timmiella are big (mammillae). Both species have narrowly lanceolate leaves, but Weissia leaves are also broadly channeled when they are wet, and the costa extending just beyond the leaf point forms a small mucro, which is not present in Timmiella.

Weissia andersoniana Zander. This species has leaf margins that are incurved when the leaf is moist, the leaf blade is constricted above the basal area, and the papillae are branched and elevated on a column. Illustration: XxXx.

Weissia andrewsii E. B. Bartram. In Weissia andrewsii, the leaf margin at mid-leaf is inrolled nearly in a complete spiral; a feature that can be seen in a cross section under a compound scope. Weissia condensa, as well, has an inrolled margin at mid-leaf but much less than a complete spiral. Both species also have a rather broad costa, 50-70 μm at base, as opposed to one at 25-50 μm at base in W. controversa. Illustration: XxXx.

Weissia condensa (Voit in J. W. Strum) Lindberg. The leaves are narrowly ovate-lanceolate, broadest near the base. Illustration: XxXx. Voucher: McGraw 30.

Weissia controversa Hedwig. - A rather common moss with nearly world wide distribution, Weissia controversa is easily overlooked for its small size and for its quick life cycle, occurring at a time when most bryological activity is locally at its minimum. This species is known to favor calcareous substrates but it is not restricted to them, and like other Weissia species, it does well along trail sides and other areas of disturbance.  It is the only one Weissia that has been reported from the Santa Monica Mountains, but several others are known from California deserts, and could well occur in dryer spots in the semi-arid Santa Monica Mountains. Drawing © A. Montalvo from D. H. Norris 1973. SEM: 2004 T. Sagar 505. Vouchers: Sagar 505, 923, 935.

Weissia inoperculata (H. Crum) H. Crum, W. C. Steere & L. E. Anderson - Of the species with incurved leaf margins but unbranched papillae, both W. inoperculata and W. ligulaefolia both have ligulate leaves with leaf bases that are parallel, but the former has an acute leaf tip, while in the latter, the tip is broadly acute to rounded and often with a small mucro. Illustration: XxXx.

Weissia ligulaefolia (E. B. Bartram) Grout - Leaf apex is broadly acute to rounded, and the capsule is stegocarpous. Illustration: XxXx.

Weissia planifolia Dixon - Unlike most California Weissia, W. sinaloensis and W. planifolia have leaf margins that are plane (rather than incurved) when they are wet. To tell these two apart, Weissia planifolia leaves are tongue shaped with parallel sides, while Weissia sinaloensis leaves are broadest near the middle. Illustration: XxXx.

Weissia sinaloensis E. B. Bartram - Leaves are broadest near the middle. Illustration: XxXx.