Species description:
Genus name in honour J.J. Blind, of a German pastor of the early 19th century. The species name derived from the acute leaf.

Reproduction:
Sporophytes are often abundant in late spring to sum­mer but some populations lack them. The seta is light coloured to dark brown, as is the sporangium. Sometimes the seta is curved but it is of­ten straight, especially when mature.

Distinguishing characteristics:
The narrow, acute leaves, the short sporan­gia and, especially, the reddish or dark brown alar cells are useful fea­tures to separate this moss.

Habit:
Forming tight turfs and tufts of dark green, brownish-green to golden-green plants. Leaves not changing in form from wet to dry con­dition. A clump of cells at the basal margin of leaves (alar cells) usually dark red-brown.

Similar Species:
Although some species of Campylopus may resemble B. acuta, the midrib in genus Campulopus is usually 1/3 of the leaf's width while in Blindia the midrib is much narrower. Campylopus rarely has sporophytes in British Columbia. Dicranum tauricum rarely grows on rock. When it does it may resemble Blindia but its rock habitat is always dry and shaded, and its leaf tips break off easily; in Blindia, a plant of irregated rock, whole leaves often break off. Species of Ditrichum sometimes grow on damp rock but sporophytes are always long-cylindric and have red peristome teeth. Species of Dicranella, Arctoa and Kiaeria also have noticeably red-brown peristome teeth. Arctoa fulvella is a cliff-crevice species of subalpine and alpine elevations and the red-brown peristome teeth flare outward conspicuously when dry. Blindia has dark brown peristome teeth.

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