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feather moss
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feather moss

plant species
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Also known as: Hypnum crista-castrensis, Ptilium crista-castrensis, boreal forest moss, plume moss
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Also called:
plume moss or boreal forest moss
See all related content

feather moss, (Ptilium, formerly Hypnum, crista-castrensis), the only species of the genus Ptilium, it is a widely distributed plant of the subclass Bryidae that forms dense light green mats on rocks, rotten wood, or peaty soil, especially in mountain forests of the Northern Hemisphere. The erect stem of a feather moss has a featherlike, or frondlike, appearance. The leaves, with their curving, hooklike tips, are often more than 2 mm (0.1 inch) long.

This article was most recently revised and updated by William L. Hosch.