Common name: tree moss.

Habitat: This genus is typically found in moist soils, stream banks, swamps, and water.

Distribution: Climacium dendroides lives within a broad northern band in eastern North America. This habitat overlaps with Climacium americanum's habitat, which tends to be more towards the south.

Gametophyte appearance: The gametophyte is identified by several characteristics. The most obvious characteristic is an overall tree-like appearance. The stems of the gametophyte grow erect from a rhizoid. The gametophyte is branched and contains many dark green to yellow-brown leaves on those branches. The branch leaves range in shape from rounded-square to heart-shaped, but all the variations of the leaf are widest at the base and taper toward the tip. The top of the leaf is coarsely toothed, as well as the costa at the top on the back. The leaf may or may not have margins that extend down to the stem, below the point of leaf insertion, and appear as ridges, narrow wings, or lobes. The cells of the leaf range in shape from rhomboid to narrow and elongate. The cells at the point of insertion are orange and have pores through the adjoining cells, which can be noticed by an obvious depression in the thick-walled cells. The cells at the corners of the base of each leaf are nearly undifferentiated. The stem contains paraphyllia.

Sporophyte appearance: The antheridia and archegonia are on separate plants. The setae can be single or clustered with capsules that are erect and symmetrical. A long split along one side of the calyptra is a common feature; however, the calyptra can also be somewhat twisted. There are sixteen double peristome teeth that are dark brown and papillose. The inner peristome is yellow with a low basal membrane. Linear segments in vertical lines on the capsule gape until they finally split along the median line and release the medium-sized, spherical spores. It is uncommon to find a sporophyte on a specimen.

Interesting fact: During the 1800's, mosses such as Climacium were used to decorate women's hats. Some of the mosses were even dyed a leather color or an unnatural blue-green. Though the fashion statement may have caught the interest of the general population, it did little more than catch the irritation of some bryologists.

Resources: Crum, Howard, Mosses of the Great Lakes Forest, 3rd ed., University of Michigan: Ann Arbor, 1983, pgs. 350-353.

Welch, Winona H., Ph.D., Mosses of Indiana, 1st ed., The Bookwalter Company: Indianapolis, 1957, pgs. 262-264.

Written by Amanda Habel