wind-blown moss

plant

Also known as: Dicranum, fork moss

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Also called:: fork moss

Related Topics:: broom moss

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wind-blown moss, any plant of the genus Dicranum (subclass Bryidae), numbering 94 species distributed primarily throughout the Northern Hemisphere. They form dense cushions on soil, logs, or rocks. More than 20 species are native to North America. The most common is D. scoparium, sometimes called broom moss because of its broomlike or brushlike tufts. Its erect, often forked caulids (stems) may be 5 to 12 cm (2 to 5 inches) high; the yellow or yellow-green, glossy phyllids (leaves) and long-beaked capsules (spore cases) usually point in one direction. Broom moss is sometimes used by florists for window displays.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.