The Genus Mnium in West Virginia

One of the most conspicuous and widespread genera of mosses in West Virginia is the genus Mnium. Although no Mniums have been reported from some counties, it is reasonable to believe that some species of Mnium may be found in every county of the State. The genus Mnium is one of the easiest to identify in the field even if not in fruiting condition. In this paper a vegetative key to the species of Mnium is presented. The descriptions of species based largely on vegetative characters are accompanied by comparative sketches of various leaf and cell characters of the twelve species and three varieties of Mnium reported from West Virginia. The magnification of each series of sketches is the same for all species.