Bryophytes

Mosses, Liverworts, & Hornworts
Developed early in evolutionary time
Small, non-vascular, non-woody plants
No root system. Have rhizoids – root-like structures that attach plant to a surface
No flowers or seeds. Reproduce sexually through spores or vegetatively
Designed to acquire & hold water, which is absorbed through the leaves

MOSSES

Leaves are usually arranged spirally around the plant stem
Grow on soil, rocks, decaying wood, & tree trunks
Three types – Acrocarpus, Pleurocarpus, & Sphagnum

ACROCARPUS MOSSES – from acro for tip & carpo for fruit

Stem – Simple. Rarely forked. Usually upright
Grow in tufts or cushions
Sporophytes grow from tip of stem

Atrichum

Common name: Star Moss
Grows on soil & rocks in wet areas, streamside
Dark green lance-shaped leaves with distinct mid-rib (costa); translucent on the edges
Gemmae (splash) cups on male plants
Usually shorter than Polytrichum
A. angustatum, less than 1″ tall, grows on dry, bare, nutrient-poor soil
A. undulatum, up to 2″ tall, grows on shady damp soil
Derivation of Scientific Name: From a for without & trich for hairs

Aulacomnium palastre

Common name: Ribbed Bog Moss
Grows in bogs & on seepy rocks
Small yellow-green lance-shaped leaves
Aulacomnium palustre leaves decrease in size toward the tip. Often have gemmae cups at the end
Derivation of Scientific Name: – From aulaco for furrowed or grooved

Bartramia pomiformis

Common name: Apple Moss
Grows on soil banks & partially shaded rock outcrops
Medium green hair-like leaves may appear to grow in one direction
Distinctive green apple-shaped sporophytes
Derivation of Scientific Name: From Bartramia for American botanist, horticulturist, & explorer John Bartram & pomum for apple

Dicranum

Common name: Windswept or Broom Moss
Grows in thick mats on soil, rock, logs
Leaves long & narrow, often folded inward, typically curved & aligned giving a windswept appearance
Stems often tightly packed
D. scoparium has falcate-secund leaves (curled to one side and aligned).
D. fulvum (from fulvus for tawny, yellowish-brown) is a small, short Dicranum that grows on rocks
Derivation of Scientific Name: From dicran for pitchfork

Fissidens

Common name: Pocket Moss
Not true to acrocarpus type
Leaves pointed, not lobed
Leaf base has 2 blades that seem to make a pocket for the leaf above & collects water
Leaves in 2 distinct rows, not spiraled around the stem
Sporophyte not at tip of plant
Derivation of Scientific Name: For “split teeth”

Leucobryum

Common name: Cushion Moss
Grows on soil, rocks, tree bases. Common along trails
Tightly packed stems form tufts (pin cushion shape)
Lance-shaped leaves – greenish when wet, white when dry
Upper leaf edges rolled into a tubular needle-like shape; acts as a trough
No costa
Vegetatively reproduce from stems that break off; seldom produce spore capsules
Derivation of Scientific Name: From leuk for white & bryo for moss

Mnium hornum

Frequently found along streams or seeps
Mnium species have double teeth along the leaf edge as opposed to
Plagiomnium that have single teeth
Upright plants with translucent leaves
Mnium hornum – Leaves have double-toothed margins, twist when dry
Derivation of Scientific Name: From mnium for moss & hornus for the current year

Plagiomnium

Common name: Saber Tooth or Baby Tooth Moss
Grows in wet areas, rocky seeps, & streamsides
Light green, oval, translucent leavesStems: some trail like vines, others stand upright
On stolen-like stems, leaves are sparsely spaced
On upright stems, leaves are clustered in a rosette
Plagiomnium ciliare – Leaves have single-toothed margins
Derivation of Scientific Name: -From mnium for moss & plagio for sides

Polytrichum

Common name: Haircap Moss
Grows on soil in open areas
2 – 6″ tall
Dark green lance-shaped leaves circle stem; spread outward at 90° when wet
Midrib fills leaf blade making blade opaque (compare to Atrichum)
Hairy cap on capsule
Dioecious – separate male and female plants
Prominent gemmae cups on male plants
Derivation of Scientific Name: From poly for many & trich for hairs

Rhodobryum ontariense

Common name: Rose Moss
All leaves clustered in a floral-like rosette at top of stem
Lower part of stem is bare
Upright stems are connected by underground horizontal stems, forming patches
Male & female plants in separate patches; males have black sperm-producing organs in rosettes
After fertilization, female plants develop one or more sporophytes on a stem
Spores are rare, so new clumps are rare
Derivation of Scientific Name: From rhodo for rose & bryo for moss

Tetraphis pellucida

Common name: Four-tooth Moss
Grows on rotten logs & tree stumps
Short, dark green clumps with numerous sporophytes & gemmae cups
Distinct slender 2-3 mm cylindrical capsules on red-orange stalks (setae)
Derivation of Scientific Name: From tetra for four & lucida for glossy, clear or shining

PLEUROCARPUS MOSSES – from pleuro for side & carpo for fruit

Stems – Branched, creeping, & intertwined
Grow in twisted/tangled mats, often with more than one kind together
Sporophytes grow from the side of the stem

Anomodon

Common names: Apron, Poodle, or Tree-skirt Moss
Grows at base of trees
Branches droop down, looking like little cylinders
When dry, branches get twisted & tangled
Derivation of Scientific Name: From anomal for irregular & odon for teeth

***Bryoandersonia* *illecebra***

Common names: Worm Moss, Spoon Moss, Cup Moss
Branches are cylindrical and plump
Leaves broadly concave & spoon-shaped; very crowded & overlapping; shiny & sometimes golden in color
Clumps are often cushion-like
Derivation of Scientific Name: From bryo for moss & andersonia for Duke University bryologist & author, Lewis Edward “Andy” Anderson, & illecebrosus for seductive

Climacium americanum

Common name: (Palm) Tree Moss
Large (2-3″ tall) and tree-like in appearance
Stems grow horizontally underground
Sporophyes rare; spreads vegetatively

Entodon

Common name: Glaze Moss
Has a glossy appearance
Leaves densely crowded & overlapping on stem
Grows flat & tight to rough surfaces
Does not need leaf litter or soil
Derivation of Scientific Name: From ento for within and odon for teeth

Forsstroemia trichomitria

Common name: Fan Moss
Grows on bark of mature trees
Leaves ovate, cupped, & densely packed
Stems grow outward with branched upward curved tips
Sporophytes light brown on short stalks almost hidden by the leaves
Derivation of Scientific Name: From forsstroe for Swedish naturalist, Johan Erik Forsström

Hedwigia ciliata

Common name: Medusa Moss
Grows on sunny or shady rocks
When dry, dull gray-green & stringy; when wet, yellow-green & bushy
Leaves are ovate, cupped, & densely packed
Stems grow outward & upward
Derivation of Scientific Name: From Hedwigia for German bryologist, Johann Hedwig & ciliatus for fringed or with hairs extending from an edge

Hylocomium splendens

Common name: Stair-step Moss; Splendid Feather Moss
Grows at higher elevations (or latitudes) on soil, humus, rotten logs, rocks
Leaves olive green & fern-like.
Has a unique growth form. Each year’s growth arises on the back of the previous year’s growth creating a step-like appearance
Rust colored, stubby cylindrical capsules bend to horizontal
Derivation of Scientific Name: From hyle for forest or wood matter, kommotes for beautifier, and splendens for glittering or splendid

Hypnum

Common name: Feather Moss
Grows on logs. Often called Log Moss
Stems branch twice – divided like a feather (pinnate)
Leaves lack a mid-rib
Leaves are curved, sometimes nearly circular
Derivation of Scientific Name: From hypnum for sleep (Hypnum moss was believed to have medicinal properties)

Leucodon

Common name: Hook Moss
Grows on bark of mature trees
Stems grow outward with upward curved tips. Rarely branched
Sporophytes light brown on short stalks extending just beyond the leaves
Derivation of Scientific Name: From leuko for white and odon for pale peristome teeth (the fringe of small projections around the mouth of a capsule in mosses)

Loeskeobryum brevirostre

Common name: Pinched Shaggy Moss
Grows on soil, rotten wood, & rocks
Large, shaggy yellow-green moss with red stems
Found in hardwood forests of southern Appalachians, ravines, & along streams
Derivation of Scientific Name: From Loeske for German bryologist, Leopold Loeske, bryo for moss, & brevirostra for short-beaked

Ptilium crista-castrensis

Common Name: Knight’s Plume Moss
Grows on rich shady soil & rotten wood in damp conifer forests
Pinnate – i.e. twice branched like Hypnum, except branches extend all the way to the tip
Larger than Hypnum & more erect
Derivation of Scientific Name: From ptilon for a “small feather”, crista for “crest”, & castrensis for “military”

Thelia

Common Name: Train Track Moss
Grows on tree trunks
Cylindrical branches on each side of main stem
Pinnate – like Hypnum
Has dense brown fuzz

Thuidium

Common name: Fern Moss
Grows on logs, tree bases, & ground
Stem branches divided three times.
Looks like a lacy fern
Color depends on season & exposure to sunlight
Tends to invade other mosses; often matted with Hypnum
Derivation of Scientific Name: From thuja for its resemblance to the branching of cedar trees

Ulota crispa

Common name: Tuft Moss
Leafy shoots form dark green rounded tufts on tree trunks
Small clumps, from size of a nickel to a quarter
Leaves strongly curled or contorted
New capsule has hairy cap; old capsule looks wrinkled
Derivation of Scientific Name: From oulous meaning curly or twisted, & crispa meaning curled

SPHAGNUM MOSSES

Common name: Peat Moss
There are more than 100 species of Sphagnum in North America
Usually recognized by its habitat: bogs, swamps, lakes, & wet depressions in woods
Grows in large mats
Cushion-like in wet areas
Distinctive terminal head with branches that look like mop head
Derivation of Scientific Name: From “bog moss”

LIVERWORTS

Two types – leafy & thallose
Most grow in damp or wet places

LEAFY LIVERWORTS

Creeping flattened plants with a row of overlapping leaves
Have stems & leaves
Leaves do not have mid-ribs (costa); if there are points there are 2 or more per leaf
Leaves are arranged in 2 rows, unlike mosses where leaves are arranged spirally

Bazzania trilobata

Common name: Millipede Weed
Grows on rotting wood & soil
Elliptical tightly overlapping leaves hide stem
Bazzania trilobata has 3 teeth at the leaf tip
Look for tiny flagellate branches
Forms dense mats
Derivation of Scientific Name: From Bazzania for Italian naturalist, Matteo Bazzani, & triloba for 3 lobes

Cheilolejeunea

Formerly Leucolejeunea
Grows on bark or trees and shrubs
Leaves – Pale green color with small circular underleaves
Derivation of Scientific Name: From Cheilo for “lip” & lejeunea for French physician and botanist, Alexandre Louis Simon Lejeune. The genus Lejeunea was named after him in 1820

Frullania

Common name: Tree Liverwort
Grows high on trees
Leaves – small, circular, overlapping, blackish
Forms dark patches on tree trunks and branches
Unlike most bryophytes, can tolerate dry conditions
Could be confused with lichens
Derivation of Scientific Name: From Frullania for Italian statesman, Leonardo Frullani

Porella platyphylla

Usually found on trunks of trees & shrubs in moist woods near streams
Leaves – tightly overlapping, light green
Forms broad flat sprays hanging down & outward from tree trunks
Derivation of Scientific Name: From porus or poros for “pore” & ella for “diminutive stature”, & platyphylla meaning “broad-leaved”

Scapania

Common name: Leafy Liverwort
Grows on seepy rocks & moist soil
Overlapping rounded leaves
Leaves have 2 lobes with the smaller lobe folded over the larger
Variable in size & colors – light green in shade; reddish purple in sun
Brown or green gemmae often found at tips of shoots
Scapania nemorea has toothed leaf margins
Derivation of Scientific Name: From scapan for shovel

THALLOSE LIVERWORTS

Flat & fleshy, forking into two branches
Ribbon- or sheet-like, lacking stems or leaves

Conocephalum salebrosum

Common name: Skin Liverwort, Cat’s Tongue Liverwort, Snakeskin Liverwort
Grows on soil or rocks by streams & seeps
Forms large, flat, thick, leathery slabs, up to 0.75″ x 8″
Dark green thallus with polygonal design – resembles snakeskin
Fragrant when crushed
Dioecious – separate male & female plants
Derivation of Scientific Name: From conus for cone & cephal for head, & salebrosus for rough

Pallavicinia lyellii

Grows on rotten wood and rocks along streams and seeps
Translucent ribbon-like thallus with midrib
Male plants have 2 rows of flaps on midrib
Female plants have cylindrical capsule on midrib
Grows on rotten wood and rocks along streams and seeps
Derivation of Scientific Name: From Pallavicinia, probably for Italian statesman and archbishop, Lazzaro Pallavicino, & lyellii for Scottish botanist, Charles Lyell

Pellia

Grows along streams and seeps
Thallus lobes dark to light green with no markings; undulating along the edges
Size – less than 0.5″ x 2″
Turns red in sun
Frequent spores in Spring
Monoecious
Derivation of Scientific Name: From Pellia for Italian lawyer, (Pietro) Leopoldo Pelli-Fabbroni

Modified from text by Bonnie Arbuckle & Betty Jones. Photography by Ken Borgfeldt, Alice Greko, David Heavner, Penny Longhurst, & Jim Poling

SOURCES

Paul G. Davison: A Trailside Guide to Mosses and Liverworts of the Cherokee National Forest. Blurb (2008).
David Gledhill: The Names of Plants. Cambridge University Press; 4th Edition (2008).
Marie L. Hicks: Guide to the Liverworts of North Carolina. Duke University Press (1992).
Karl B McKnight, Joseph R. Rohrer, Kirsten McKnight Ward, & Warren J. Perdrizet: Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians (Princeton Field Guides). Princeton University Press (2013).
Ralph Pope : Mosses, Liverworts, and Hornworts: A Field Guide to Common Bryophytes of the Northeast. Comstock Publishing Associates (2016).
Island Heritage Trust Preserves – Learning Our Mosses