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NZ Plants
Polytrichum juniperinum - hairy cap moss
Family: Polytrichaceae
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Plants often grow in dense mats
L Jensen
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Plants, mat in sectional view
L Jensen
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Shoot
L Jensen
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Leaves
L Jensen
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Detached leaf, incurved margins
L Jensen
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Detached leaf in cross section with incurved margins (SEM photo)
T S Green
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Sporophyte plants
I MacDonald
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Capsule with hairy calyptra (left) and with calyptra shed (middle and right)
B & N Malcolm
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Capsule with operculum lid
L Jensen
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Capsule side view with operculum shed to expose the peristome teeth
L Jensen
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The peristome teeth are attached to a membrane which covers the capsule mouth
L Jensen
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Polytrichum juniperinum has tall, erect stems bearing stiff, sharply pointed leaves with margins without teeth that are folded inwards so that opposing margins almost touch. Leaf structure is typical for the family, being many cells thick and having closely spaced lamellae running down almost the length of the upper leaf surface. Each lamella is one cell in thickness and 6-8 cells in height. The capsule covering (calyptra) is hairy and the capsule is box-shaped and almost square in cross section. The peristome is typical for the family, consisting of short teeth joined at their tips to a membrane covering the capsule mouth, with small openings between the teeth.
Widespread in New Zealand in open sites from sea-level to subalpine areas.
