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Nat. Pfl. ed. 2, 11: 199. 1925.
   Hypnum bigelovii (Sullivant) Rep. Expl. Survey R. R. 5(4) 189. 1856.

Hypnum bigelovii Sull., Rep. Expl. Survey R. R. 5(4) 189. 1856.
   Thamnium bigelovii (Sullivant) Jaeger. Ber. St. Gall. Naturw. Ges. 1875–1876: 731. 1877.

Porothamnium bigelovii (Sullivant) Fleisch. in Brotherus. Nat. Pfl. 2. 11: 199. 1925.
   Thamnobryum bigelovii (Sullivant) Nieuwland. Amer. Midl. Nat. 5: 51. 1917.

Can. Rec. Sci. 6: 18. 1894. -- Hypnum bigelovii Sull., Rep. Expl. Survey R. R. 5(4) 189. 1856. -- Porothamnium bigelovii (Sull.) Fleisch. in Broth., Nat. Pfl. ed. 2, 11: 199. 1925. -- Thamnobryum bigelovii (Sull.) Nieuwl., Amer. Midl. Nat. 5: 51. 1917. -- Thamnium bigelovii (Sull.) Jaeg., Ber. S. Gall. Naturw. Ges. 1875–1876. 731. 1877.

Plants in loose mats or cushions, glossy dark-green to yellow-green, sparingly branched to almost unbranched from a long stoloniferous base, not flagelliform. Stolon and lower stipe leaves markedly smaller than those of main axis, ovate and acuminate, reflexed away from stem. Main axis to 6 cm long, decumbent to erect. Leaves on main axis to 3.0 mm, 3–5:1, complanate; lightly plicate when dry, oblong-ligulate, acute to broadly acute at the abruptly contracted apex, loosely imbricate when dry and little changed when moist; laterally inserted leaves asymmetric with their postical margins broadly incurved at base,. Margins plane, neither cordate nor decurrent, coarsely dentate with multicellular teeth above the middle, sometimes serrulate throughout. Median cells smooth, 9–12 µm wide, 3–5:1, rather thin-walled with lumen/wall ratio 5–10:1, not pitted. Basal cells shorter than median cells but with few or none quadrate. Apical cell rhomboidal, nearly isodiametric. Costa extending to 10–15 cells of apex, smooth abaxially, tapered and often sinuous distally. Pseudoparaphyllia lanceolate, erect, serrate on margin. Axillary hairs 4- celled, to 80 µm with two basal brown cells, only slightly offset from leaf insertion. Rhizoids red-brown, 8–10 µm, smooth, scattered in fascicles throughout ventral portion of prostrate stem.
    Dioicous with male plants similar to females. Perigonia on main axis or on larger branches. Perichaetia on main axis, to 2.5 mm long in a short cluster smaller than the subtending vegetative leaves, Perichaetial bracts ecostate or with a short costa, acuminate from a lanceolate base, cells rectangular, to 15:1. Seta to 3 cm long, exserted, abruptly bent at apex. Capsule brown, symmetric, inclined to pendent, not distorted or sulcate when dry. Urn to 2.0 mm, about 2–3:1. Exothecial cells 2–3:1, to 25 µm wide, thick-walled with a lumen/wall ratio about 4:1, stomata restricted to neck. Operculum rostrate, about 1/3 as long as urn. Exostome horizontally striate below, becoming smooth to low papillose above, yellow-brown. Endostome segments lightly papillose, open on keel, narrow, about as long as exostome with basal membrane about 1/4 of total length. Cilia 2–3, well-developed. Spores low papillose, 10–12 µm.

This moss is endemic to the humid forests of the west coast of North America. It primarily grows on mineral soil and on tree bases, often in areas of very low light intensity. It may be our most glossy moss -- often falsely seeming to glow in low light intensity. It it blunt and coarsely toothed, costate leaves, short leaf cells and complanate habit will effectively identify it.

Elevation by latitude plot for Porotrichum bigelovii
   in California

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