E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Species description:
Genus name refers to the relationship to Dicranum and the re­semblance to another moss, Weissia. Species name referring to the sharp pointed leaves.

Reproduction:
When without sporophytes it produces abundant dust­like gemmae in the axils of the leaves. These, plus the abundant sporophytes that mature in late winter to spring, disseminate the species widely in urban areas near the coast.

Comments:
This moss must be highly tolerant to exhaust fumes be­cause it often abounds on trees along busy urban streets.

Distinguishing characteristics:
The usual epiphytic habitat and turf-­forming masses added to the erect sporophytes with red peristomes, are distinctive.

Habit:
Forming turfs or tufts of dark green to light green plants.

Similar Species:
Zygodon viridissimus is less common in the same habi­tat and also produces abundant gemmae. The tufts are not as condensed and the leaves coil helically around the shoot when dry; in Dicranoweisia the leaves are individually twisted in all directions. Orthotrichum con­simile, occurring often on the same trees as Dicranoweisia, has short setae and grooved sporangia; peristome teeth in Orthotrichum are in two rows rather than one, as in Dicranoweisia.