About Pyxidanthera brevifolia Wells
Pyxidanthera brevifolia, commonly called littleleaf pixiemoss or sandhills pyxie-moss, is a plant species that has only been recorded from North Carolina and South Carolina. It grows in deep sandy soils in habitats including sand hills, sandy ridgetops, and sometimes open pine-oak woodlands, at elevations between 50 and 200 m (160 and 660 ft). This species is closely related to P. barbulata, which has a wider distribution. Some botanists have proposed grouping the two into a single species. As of now, both the Flora of North America and the Kew Gardens Plant List recognize P. brevifolia as a separate distinct species. The two species can be told apart by characteristics of their leaves. Leaves of P. brevifolia are shorter than those of P. barbulata, rarely exceeding 4 millimetres (0.16 in) in length. They also do not have the marginal cilia that are a characteristic feature of P. barbulata, and their undersides are more densely woolly.
