Amblystegium serpens var. juratzkanum
Amblystegium serpens var. serpens

Two subspecies are reported in British Columbia: 1) Amblystegium serpens var. juratzkanum 2) Amblystegium serpens var. serpens

Species description:
Genus name apparently derived from the blunt operculum; the species name referring to the creeping shoots.

Reproduction:
Sporophytes frequent and often abundant, maturing in spring to early summer; sporophyte reddish brown or with sporangium green and curved when immature.

Distinguishing characteristics:
The slender, soft plants with leaves show­ing an inconspicuous single midrib are usually sufficient to distinguish this species, especially if it occurs on wood.

Habit:
Reclining slender dark green to reddish-brown, thread-like stems forming interwoven mats, somewhat glossy (under lens); not changing markedly from moist to dry conditions, except that the leaves diverge outward when wet and are against the stem when dry.

Similar Species:
If on rock or soil, several genera might resemble it. Most require examination of microscopic features for discrimination: A. compactum has sharp teeth at the leaf base while A. serpens lacks them; Heteroc/adium macounii has papillose leaf cells when viewed under a com­pound microscope; most Campylium species that are the same size as the Amblystegium have leaves more spread when wet or dry; Kindbergia praelonga, when small, has a strong midrib in the leaves; Isothecium stoloniferum has toothed leaves, even in the slender forms of the size of A. serpens.

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