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Deutschl. Krypt.-Fl. 2(3): 79. 1848. -- Phascum subulatum Hedw., Spec. Musc. 19. 1801.
   Pleuridium bolanderi C. Muell. ex Jaeg., Ber. St. Gall. Naturw. Ges. 1868–1869: 91. 1869.

Plants to 2 mm high in dense turfs or scattered, yellow-green to olive-green. Leaves erect spreading to patent wet or dry, often somewhat falcate secund, to 2 mm long, very narrowly subulate from an ovate base which comprises less than 1/2 of the leaf. Median cells of subula rectangular with rather thick walls, smooth, to 6 µm broad, 3–5: 1, in regular rows. Cells of differentiated base to 8 µm broad, to 10: 1, rectangular with straight lateral walls, arranged in regular rows. Costa occupying about 1/5 of leaf base, gradually tapering and strongly excurrent in the terete subula. Costa cross-section nearly homogeneous or with a single abaxial stereids differentiated from the adaxial guide cells. Margin mostly with a few bistratose streaks, plane to incurved, entire throughout or with a few remote serrulations near apex. Axillary hairs to 150 µm, 3-celled, with one basal brown cell. Stem with central strand, very thin walled throughout except for a one or two layers of thicker waller, much smaller outer cortical cells.
    Autoicous with antheridia naked and axillary below the perichaetia. Perichaetial leaves similar to the adjacent vegetative leaves but with subula not so well defined. Seta nearly absent. Capsule cleistocarpous, yellow brown to stramineous, to 1.25 mm long, oblong and apiculate, about 1–1.2: 1, symmetric. Operculum conic, to 1 mm long. Exothecial cells rectangular, arranged in regular rows, to 18 µm wide, to 3: 1, rather thin-walled. Stomata restricted to proximal 1/2 of urn. Spores coarsely papillose, to 25 µm.

Pleuridium subulatum is widely distributed throughout temperate regions of Eurasia, North Africa and North America. It is the only common species of Pleuridium in California and is extremely common in winter and early spring wherever there is enough rain to support grasses. In our state it is extremely variable in shape of leaves, especially the relative length of the base and the subula. The variation in plant color and degree of clone aggregation is also so great as to suggest a need for serious comparative study.

Elevation by latitude plot for Pleuridium subulatum
   in California

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