Identification notes
This is probably the most frequently encountered species of relatively dry, shaded lowland habitats. For a Scapania, it’s quite large (although confusing small forms do occur) and when present, the combination of clusters of dark brown gemmae on the uppermost leaves and numerous narrow spine-like teeth (cilia) one cell wide on the leaf edges confirm it as this species.
The gemmae are not always dark brown, however. Small plants with red gemmae occur and then may be confused with the less common (and always small) S. umbrosa, especially when leaf margins lack or have few narrow teeth. Careful examination of such plants will normally confirm the presence of gemmae that are nearly all one-celled (mostly two-celled in S. umbrosa).
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