Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus (Springy turf-moss)
If you are a diligent applicant of lawn food and moss killer, then you may be unfortunate enough not to have any moss in your lawn, however most of us should be able to find some Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus nearby if not in our own gardens. The shoots of this pale green moss tend to grow fairly erect, and viewed from above, each shoot looks star-like, owing to the leaves sticking out at right-angles to the stem. From the side, you can see that each leaf bends back at a right angle to the base, so it sticks out away from the stem, and between the leaves you may be able to see that the stem is red.
Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus forms extensive turfs, often forcing other species out to form pure colonies.
For more information, visit the Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus species page.
