Species description:
Genus name meaning two rows, in reference to the leaf arrangement. Species name denoting hair-like, in reference to the slender leaves.
Reproduction:
Sporophytes frequent and maturing in summer, light brown.
Distinguishing characteristics:
The erect, strongly flattened, leafy plants with glossy, overlapping, sheathing leaf-bases give each shoot the distinctive superficial appearance of a miniature ear of barley.
Habit:
Forming dense turfs of glossy, dark green to light green, unbranched, somewhat flattened, erect shoots.
Similar Species:
D. inclinatum differs in the usually shorter plants that have a short, stout inclined sporangium (compared to the erect, narrowly cylindric sporangium of D. capitlaceum). Some specimens of Ditrichum resemble this species but the leaves lack the flattened, sheathing bases.
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: Some Common Mosses of BC