Identification notes
This is a common plant associated with shaded well-drained base-rich rocks and masonry, but can also grow as an epiphyte, especially where tree roots or the base of the trunk have a thin covering of soil. It forms extensive loose patches or cushions of relatively unbranched stems which can be several cm long. The dry stems are a dull yellowish green with a rather untidy appearance due to the irregularly twisted leaves. It has the ability to absorb or lose water remarkably quickly, and after a rain shower it becomes a brighter green with spreading leaves and a more regularly bushy appearance.
The leaves themselves have a blunt, rounded tip and an irregularly undulate margin. Racomitrium aciculare has a similar leaf tip but is toothed and forms smaller, tighter cushions and tends to be found on more acid rocks near water.
Read the Field Guide account