Mosses

Moss-covered trail in a forest of a species of heather, Erica kingaensis, whose branches are draped with old-man’s-beard lichens (Usnea), Ruwenzori National Park, Zaire. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Lava boulders, covered in cushions of the moss species Racomitrium lanuginosum, Brunahraun, southern Iceland. In Icelandic, hraun means ‘lava’. Woolly willow (Salix lanata) is also present. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Mosses on forest floors

Gludsted Plantation, central Jutland, Denmark, was established between 1877 and 1900. Many parts of this plantation are now so old that the forest floor and overturned trees are completely covered by large moss cushions.

Moss-covered forest floor with false chanterelles (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca), Nørlund Plantation, Jutland, Denmark. This species is described on the page In praise of the colour orange. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Umbrella mosses (Hypopterygium) is a genus in the family Hypopterygiaceae, characterized by a creeping stem, having erect branches with a terminal, almost circular umbrella-like leaf with pinnate branches.

These plants grow on humid forest floors and other wetter areas, found in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, Indian Ocean Islands, Pacific Islands, Australia, and New Zealand. The number of species is disputed. Some authorities claim that there are only 7 species worldwide, others say about 28.

Mosses on tree stumps and toppled trees

In a forest, growing on sand dunes in Hagestad Nature Reserve, Skåne, Sweden, this fallen trunk of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) has been overgrown by mosses and heather (Calluna vulgaris). Scots pine is described on the page Plants: Ancient and huge trees. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

These young Norway spruces (Picea abies) have sprouted on a moss-covered tree stump, Store Hjøllund Plantation, central Jutland, Denmark. This species is described on the page Plants: Ancient and huge trees. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Roots of an old overturned juniper (Juniperus communis), overgrown by mosses, Bryrup Langsø, Jutland, Denmark. This species is described on the page Plants: Plants in folklore and poetry. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Mosses on living trees

Moss cushions on the trunk of an old Taiwan red cypress (Chamaecyparis formosana), Dasyueshan National Forest, central Taiwan. This species is described on the page Plants: Ancient and huge trees. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Moss-covered goat willow (Salix caprea), Store Hjøllund Plantation, central Jutland, Denmark. This species is described on the page Plants: Ancient and huge trees. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Mosses on stones and stone fences

Racomitrium lanuginosum is very widely distributed in arctic and subarctic areas in the Northern Hemisphere, in montane areas spread around the globe, and on many islands in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It mainly grows on acidic boulders, but may also be found in tundra or marshes.

Lava boulders, covered in cushions of Racomitrium lanuginosum, Ögmundarhraun (top), and Brunahraun, both in southern Iceland. In Icelandic, hraun means ‘lava’. Woolly willow (Salix lanata) is present in the centre picture, and crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) in the bottom picture. (Photos copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Mosses in heaths and dunes

Mosses in swamps

Common haircap moss (Polytrichum commune) is a common species that is partial to wet areas, including marshes, humid heathland, and along forest streams. It is mostly below 10 cm tall, but may often reach 30 cm, and under exceptional conditions even 70 cm. It is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, and is also found on several Pacific Islands, and in Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico.

Bog mosses (Sphagnum) are a genus with about 380 species, which are able to store large quantities of water in their cells, both living and dead plants. Some species may hold up to 26 times as much water as their dry weight, an adaptation that helps the plant to withstand long periods of drought. Over time, bog mosses may form large mires, called raised bogs.

A species of bog moss with white beak-sedge (Rhynchospora alba) and round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), central Jutland, Denmark. Sundew species are described on the page Plants: Carnivorous plants. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Mosses on buildings

Farm house with moss on the roof, located near the ruins of the Iron Age castle Gråborg, Öland, Sweden. In the upper picture, ruins of Sankt Knuts Kapell (‘Saint Canute’s Chapel’), erected in the 1100s, are seen in the background. This chapel is described on the page Religion: Christianity. (Photos copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Liverworts

These plants, sometimes called liver mosses, constitute about 9000 species in the division Marchantiophyta. They are not mosses, but resemble them in a number of ways, for example by having green foliage, by being completely dependent on humid surroundings, and by multiplying by spores. Liverworts are found on almost the entire planet.

Conocephalum is the only genus in the family Conocephalaceae, comprising at least 6 species. They are rather large liverworts with distinct patterns on the leaves, resembling snakeskin, giving rise to the popular name snakeskin liverworts.

These plants are relatively common and widely distributed throughout North America, Europe, and East Asia, mostly growing in moist and shaded habitats, including wet rocks and cliffs. Some species may be found in open woodlands or on sandy banks.

(Uploaded February 2023)

(Latest update October 2024)

Kaj Halberg - writer & photographer

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Mosses