Plagiomnium cuspidatum is nicknamed the woodsy Plagiomnium. Plagiomnium cuspidatum is a member of the Mniaceae family. Plagiomnium cuspidatum is one of the most common moss in eastern North America; it can also be found Circumpolar, Labrador to Alaska, and south from Oregon to Arizona
(Crum 1983).

Habitat
It is found in moist hardwood forests on soil or humus, wooded banks, logs and stumps and on rocks. It can also be found in many disturbed habitats, such as roadbanks, poor lawns, drainage channels, and on roadside Maples and in their notches (Crum 1983).

Gametophyte
It is dark yellow-green and grows in tufts up to 2 to 3.5 cm high. Spreading or horizontal green stem. It can be recognized from the erect obovate leaves about 3-4.5 mm, crisped when dry, and toothed but only above the middle. In the sterile condition it has spreading stolons with leaves loosely arranged in two rows. Costa percurrent or shortly excurrent. Synoicious ( antheridia and archegonia in same inflorecence) (Crum 1983).

Sporophyte
Single seta 10-30 mm. long. Yellowish to brownish capsules 2-3mm. long. Operculum convex-conic with peristome teeth yellow and endostome brown (Crum 1983).

Uses
Plagiomnium has few economically important uses today. In the past, Plagiomnium was collected and used with other mosses in a paste used to alleviate pain of burns. It was also used to cover bruises and as padding under splints in setting bones. Some birds use species of Plagiomnium as building materials for nests. Other species of Plagiomnium are secondary hosts to aphids which lay their eggs to hatch on the green tufts
(Richardson 1981).

Literature Cited
Crum, Howard. 1983. Mosses of the Great Lakes Forest, 3rd Edition. pp. 176-182, Univerisity of Michigan, Michagan.

Richardson, D.H.S. 1981. The Biology of Mosses. pp. 111, 115, 185. Halsted Press, New York.

Written by Dave Dickey