Length of filiform awns in perichaetial/perigonial leaves, mm	Bryoxiphium norvegicum 1–3(–5)	Bryoxiphium japonicum (4–)5–12
Margin serration	subentire to slightly crenulate	serrate
Shape of basal leaf cells	short rectangular, hardly differentiated	subquadrate, ± differentiated
Length/width ratio of basal leaf cells	1.6–3.0:1	1–1.4:1
Dorsal lamella height, cell number	(0–)1–3	3–4(–5)
Dorsal lamella length	only in upper part of leaf	descending far below, often to the leaf base
Shape of middle stem leaf apex	obtuse, occasionally notched, mostly with short apiculus formed by excurrent costa and dorsal lamella or solely by costa, rarely with filiform awns to 0. 2 mm long	obtuse, often notched, suddenly narrowed into filiform awn to 0. 4 mm long, formed by lamina, costa and dorsal lamella
Spore size, µm	14–19(–23)	(17–)19–24