Polytrichum commune

Polytrichum commune

Called The Golden maidenhair moss ( Polytrichum commune), but also vulgar or ordinary Widertonmoos or Large Hair Cap Moss is a moss of the genus Widertonmoose. It was chosen by the Bryologisch - lichenologischen Association for Central Europe to moss 2010.

Features

It is a akrokarpes ( gipfelfrüchtiges ) moss that forms relatively conspicuous dark green to blue-green cushion. The pads are usually a little less stiff upright than those of beauty Widertonmooses. The moss has 10-40 cm long time, usually unbranched stems. This makes it the highest European moss.

The leaves are spirally arranged around the stem. They are narrowly lanceolate, 8-12 mm long, wet upstanding and dry -fitting. The leaves have a distinct, until the blade tip reaching rib with many fins. In contrast to the similar beauty Widertonmoos the slats have a groove on its upper edge. The leaf margin is sharply toothed to the vagina.

Particularly striking is the four -edged, yellow - to red-brown capsule that surrounded the young state of a hood made ​​of relatively light long Filzhärchen ( hence the name ). The capsule is on a 6-12 cm long petiole, which is at the end of a stem.

Due to its good tensile strength and toughness so-called moss braids were braided in the Middle Ages from the moss, which found, among others, as Ropes use.

Dissemination

The main distribution area of the golden maidenhair moss extends to about 2000 m altitude. It settled rather acidic moist locations and is found more often in wet places in coniferous forests or in forested peatlands.

There is an almost cosmopolitan Art