English name: Elegant bristle-moss
An acrocarpous moss that forms small, yellowish green tufts. Its leaves twist when dry and capsules are held clear of the leaves. When young, these capsules are covered in a hairless, pale calyptra with a dark brown tip and characteristic dark dots around the lower margin.
Capsules mature in spring and early summer.
In Scotland, Orthotrichum pulchellum has a southern and eastern distribution where it is particularly abundant on trees and shrubs, especially elder and willow, in open woodland and woodland rides and in willow carr. BBS distribution map
Look out for Orthotrichum affine, Ulota bruchii and Ulota phyllantha nearby.
Confusion species: any other epiphytic Orthotrichum or Ulota species, including Orthotrichum affine, Orthotrichum stramineum, Ulota crispa and Ulota drummondii
scottishlichens.co.uk 