Bonfire-moss - Funaria hygrometrica
Alt Name
Bonfire Moss
Description
This is a common plant in lowland Britain and is one that beginners will soon learn to recognize. The short (3 to 10 mm) shoots of this moss form loose carpets. The egg-shaped leaves vary in size (2 to 4 mm long) and are translucent, with very large, lax cells, easily seen with a ×10 hand lens. Asymmetrical capsules are usually present in abundance, borne on a long (3 to 5 cm), swan-neck seta, with a large, delicate calyptra and a convex lid.
Identification difficulty

Habitat
This weedy species is a colonist of bare, disturbed, nutrient-rich soils; it is particularly characteristic of old bonfire sites.
When to see it
All year round.
UK Status
Widespread and frequent in Britain.
VC55 Status
Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
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