Wednesday 16 March 2016

Some Wood Mosses

Atrichum undulatum, Common Smoothcap.  Hayes Common.  28 February 2016.
Atrichum undulatum, Common Smoothcap.  Hayes Common.  28 February 2016.
Now some mosses from my local woods.  The first photo is an iPhone snap of Atrichum undilatum, a moss that tends to grow on hummocks in the wood, such as might be caused by a falling tree lifting part of its root ball.  Those root ball hummocks stay visible for decades after a tree falls. 

This first one has broad, wavy leaves.

Polytrichastrum formosum, Bank Haircap.  Keston Common, 3 March 2016
Polytrichastrum formosum, Bank Haircap.  Keston Common, 3 March 2016
This second one, Polytrichastrum formosum, grows on the same kind of hummocks, but has harder, spikier leaves.  It's sometimes mistaken for ...

Polytrichum commune, Common Haircap.  Keston Common, 6 March 2016.
Polytrichum commune, Common Haircap.  Keston Common, 6 March 2016.
This one, Polytrichum commune, but this is much larger, grows in looser clumps and likes much wetter ground.  This clump is actually in part of a bog.

Also on Keston Common, but this time actually underwater, you can find ...

Fontinalis antipyretica, Greater Water-moss.  Growing freely in Keston Ponds.   Keston Common, 5 March 2016
Fontinalis antipyretica, Greater Water-moss.  Growing freely in Keston Ponds.   Keston Common, 5 March 2016
Fontinalis antipyretica.  It gets its scientific name from its supposed use in putting out fires, when scooped up by the handful.  I pulled this piece out of the pond to photograph it.  This photo is enlarged, but it's quite a robust moss.

Next, some woodland ground cover.

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