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

Species description:
Species name from the Taurus Mountains, Turkey, where the specimen was collected.

Reproduction:
Sporophytes infrequent near the coast but rather com­mon in interior humid forests. The broken-off leaf tips probably serve in propagation.

Distinguishing characteristics:
The rigid, straight leaves with very brittle tips that are often broken off, combined with the usual forested sites where this moss occurs, are very diagnostic. The erect sporophytes are also useful when present.

Habit:
Forming turfs or tufts of light to dark green, rather rigid plants with brittle leaf tips.

Similar Species:
D. fragilifolium also has brittle leaf tips but the spo­rangia are curved and grooved when mature rather than erect and smooth, as in D. tauricum. Material lacking sporophytes cannot be dis­tinguished from D. tauricum on hand lens characters. Tortella fragilis also has brittle leaf tips but has yellow-green, dull leaves and is found on calcareous rock rather than wood.