Polytrichum commune Hedw.

Polytrichum commune Is the most common species (as the name suggests) of polytrichum that is found at Hoxie Gorge. It grows in small to large robust beds. The leaf margins are slightly inrolled and have teeth.  The capsules are 4 sided and have a small needle point projection in the center before opening. The calyptra is hairy with an off center curved projection.

When looking at a cross section of the leaf the lamellae upper most cell is wider then the rest and is in the shape of an “u”