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| Figure 1: Branchythecium rutabulum under the dissecting scope |
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| Figure 2: Shows how closely placed the leaves and the branching of the stems |
Name: Brachythecium rutabulum
Common Name: Feather Moss
Family: Brachytheciaceae
Collected Date: 9/8/16
Habitat: Mostly found in moist areas such as soil, rocks, rotting logs, or on tree trunks bases. Can be found in shade or forest areas.
Location: Nelsons Ledges
Description:Shaggy, with creeping arching stems and upright branches divide irregularly and have bright green and yellow tint to them. Leaves are closely spaced and spreading at different angles from the stem.
Key Used: Karl B Mcknight, Joseph R Rohrer, Kirsten Mcknight Ward, and Warren J. Perdrizet. 2013. Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians
Keying Steps:
Step 1: The sample was identified as pleurocarpus
Step 2: Sickled shaped leaves with no midrib
Step 3: It was found in a forest area in a moist environment
Step 4: The leaves are packed tight closely to the stem with no arranged style
Step 5: the leaves had curves in them at the top but not in a ringlet shape
Step 6: Shoots were found to be tightly braided to each other
There were a lot of different specimens this could have represent but I feel this is the best representation. Based on the color, how tightly placed the leaves are and have no arrange style, very long and the local where I found this sample is a clear indicator it represents Brachythecium rutabulum.
You are on the right track with some of your keying steps, but from what I can see of the specimen as shown, it is not tightly braided, and does not appear to be Brachythecium. Could you zoom in more on this picture so I can see a leaf shape? From what I see the leaves are not closely packed to the stem since you can see individual leaves sticking out from the stem. Try re-keying starting with step 4, assuming you are confident with the first 3 steps
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