Hylocomium splendens

Floor moss ( Hylocomium splendens)

The dioecious moss floor or floor moss ( Hylocomium splendens) is a common forest and meadow moss.

Occurrence and distribution

The moss is found on fresh, often weakly acidic forest soil. However, it also inhabited mountain high altitude meadows, forest edges, swamps and heaths. It penetrates to the high regions of the Alps. Only in North Germany it is relatively rare. The moss is found throughout the entire northern hemisphere, in Europe, much of Asia, Africa, North America and in a few scattered herds even to New Zealand.

Identifying

The moss is yellow to brownish from green, glossy, often extensive lawn. Its up to 5 cm long, red-brown stems are two to three times pinnate. An important determining feature is the so-called floors. These are annual shoots, which are storied above the other. The top section, which is usually colored fresh green and simply branched, is also the youngest section. He springs from the center of the top of last year's branch. The are oval shaped, the stems adjacent sheets are weak längsfaltig and not greater than 2 mm. The sheet is in the front part suddenly in a bit. The leaf edge appears finely serrated in the microscope. The short midrib is formed double.