Dicranum scoparium

Dicranum scoparium

The Common fork -moss or broom moss ( Dicranum scoparium ) is a common form and rich moss in European forests and heaths.

Features

It is powerful, up to 10 cm high mosses that often forms extensive upholstery. The stems are usually surrounded in the lower part of a thick brownish or gray Rhizoidfilz.

The sheets are turned in the crescent-shaped generally to one side, sometimes more or less straight upright. This feature can be very various degrees of seriousness. Usually the leaves are not as strongly curved as in Dicranum majus and clearer than einseitswendig bonjeanii at Dicranum. The leaves are drawn out into a long pfriemliche tip. The leaf cells are oblong in both the leaf base and in the blade tip. In addition, the characteristic four blades on the underside of the sheet rib extends up to the blade tip.

The curved cylindrical capsule standing on a brown-red Seta.

Dicranum scoparium is a dioecious nature, but often reproduces vegetatively by breaking off stems or twigs.

Dissemination

The species occurs in the northern hemisphere, in the temperate regions. Its distribution extends north to the tundra and in the mountains up to heights of 3000 m. In addition, it comes in New Zealand, before the Canaries and Madeira. In Europe it is widespread and common.

The moss grows on earth or rock, sometimes at the base of trees on roots, in forests, heaths and moors. It can grow on both acidic as neutral ground.

Pictures

Lamina cells at 400x magnification

Midrib at 200 -fold magnification