**4.1 Identification process**

To identify the species in the laboratory, it was necessary to rehydrate the samples, so that they recover their natural form. It was enough to submerge a few plants in water for them to rehydrate in a few seconds. In some species of phyllidia or thicker thallus, this operation took a little longer, but it is almost never more than a minute.

**Figure 1.**

*A. Morphological characteristics of* Neckera ehrenbergii *Müll. Hal.; B. undulate leaf 40x; C. bifurcate costa at leaf base 40x.*

*Diversity of Epiphytic Mosses (Bryophyta) in Forests of* Polylepis *(Rosaceae) in the Urubamba… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108284*

Once the sample was rehydrated, with the help of fine-tipped tweezers and a pair of lancets, the parts that we are interested in observing were separated: phyllidia, caulydia, capsules, etc. Something important to keep in mind, before separating the samples, is that the details of the plant's shape must be observed, such as the arrangement of the phyllidia on the plant (distichous, more or less together or separated) and the type of branching.

Cross sections of the phyllidia of many species of mosses were also made to observe the structure of the central nerve, the thickness (number of cells) of the phyllidia, the presence of papillae or nipples, etc. (**Figures 1**–**8**).

The main characteristics observed were as follows:

Habit (acrocarpic, pleurocarpous moss).

Shape of the phyllidia.

Shape and dimensions of the cells of the phyllidia, presence of papillae, etc.

**Figure 2.** *A. Morphological characteristics of Zygodon* quitensis *mitt; B. dentate apex 40x; C. Pluripapillose cells in the leaf lamina 40x.*

**Figure 3.**

*A. Morphological characteristics of* Didymodon challaense *(broth.) R.H. Zander; B. leaves 10x; C. Acrocarppic sporophytes 20x.*

Characteristics of the central nerve of the phyilidia. Shape and dimensions of the cells of the phyllidia, presence of papillae, etc. Characteristics of the margin of the phyllidia. Presence of gems or other vegetatively reproducing structures. Characteristics of the sporophyte.
