Syntrichia latifolia

Description:

This moss formed mats on the trunk of an oak tree near Mariah Meadows Resort (in hills Near Cobb, Lake County, California, March 29th 2012). Photographed at home later from a collected piece, this is image I12-0497 (see adjoining image I12-0482 for capsules). The small green specks seen on the upper leaf surfaces are gemmae that enable vegetative propagation (seen best at high resolution in this image).