(Tortula ruraliformis)
Sand-hill Screw-moss
This moss has been familiar for a long time, from my walks through the dunes at Tentsmuir. Little orangey-green stars, covering the sand.
The leaves have a long silvery hair point. The book says these are toothed – when I looked closely, it seemed more like little scales sticking out than teeth. But I’m not going to argue…
Before the silvery hair tip, the leaves themselves taper to a point.
The tapering leaf tip distinguishes this moss from its relative, Syntrichia ruralis subsp. ruralis, which has a rounded, blunt leaf tip with the same silvery hair point.
The leaves twist together when dry. The stars disappear.
Growing with the orangey-green moss was a closely-packed, bright green version. I wondered if this was its cousin, but the leaves taper to a tip so I think it’s probably still ruraliformis.
It was good to finally put a name to this starry moss.
PS Found what I think is the same moss on the cliffs at Arbroath.
PPS – Found it with these long-beaked capsules, 31 Jan, Tentsmuir