This lovely lithograph by Ernst Haeckel is to give me inspiration...
I am trying to identify as many mosses as I can and take pictures of them. I’m finding it difficult but here are my successes (I think) in alphabetical order, followed by some unidentified mosses – please let me know if you can positively name them for me…
Brachythecium rutabulum – rough-stalked feather moss
Brachythecium rutabulum on a terracotta pot in the garden, January 23, 2010
Brachythecium rutabulum on a terracotta pot in the garden, February 6, 2010
Brachythecium rutabulum on a terracotta pot in the garden, February 6, 2010
Brachythecium rutabulum on a terracotta pot in the garden, February 15, 2010
Brachythecium rutabulum on dead wood in the garden, February 15, 2010
Brachythecium rutabulum in the garden, February 15, 2010
Brachythecium rutabulum on a terracotta pot in the garden, February 15, 2010
Brachythecium rutabulum on a terracotta pot in the garden, February 6, 2010
Brachythecium rutabulum on a concrete wall in the garden, February 6, 2010
Brachythecium rutabulum on a rockery in the garden, January 23, 2010
Funaria hygrometrica – common cord moss
Funaria hygrometrica on pebbles in the garden, May 16, 2010
Funaria hygrometrica on pebbles in the garden, May 16, 2010
Grimmia pulvinata – grey cushioned grimmia
Grimmia pulvinata on a wall in Canton, Cardiff, March 29, 2010
Grimmia pulvinata on a wall in Canton, Cardiff, March 29, 2010
Grimmia pulvinata on a wall in Canton, Cardiff, March 29, 2010
Pohlia nutans – nodding thread-moss or copperwire moss
Pohlia nutans on a wall in Canton, Cardiff, March 29, 2010
Pohlia nutans on a wall in Canton, Cardiff, March 29, 2010
Pohlia nutans on a wall in Canton, Cardiff, March 29, 2010
A scrap of Pohlia nutans in the garden, April 1, 2010
Polytrichum commune – common haircap moss
Polytrichum commune at Aberglasney House, Carmarthenshire, August 16, 2010
Polytrichum commune at Aberglasney House, Carmarthenshire, August 16, 2010
Syntrichia ruralis var arenicola – great hairy screw moss
Syntrichia ruralis var arenicola, March 29, 2014
I spotted this on the birdbath in the garden. I think it’s Syntrichia ruralis var arenicola, also known as Tortula ruralis var ruraliformis or great hairy screw moss, twisted moss or star moss.
Syntrichia ruralis var arenicola, March 29, 2014
Syntrichia ruralis var arenicola, March 29, 2014
Syntrichia ruralis var arenicola, March 29, 2014
Syntrichia ruralis var arenicola, April 25, 2014
Syntrichia ruralis var arenicola, April 25, 2014
Tortula muralis – wall screw-moss
A scrap of Tortula muralis in the garden, January 23, 2010
Tortula muralis on a terracotta pot in the garden, February 15, 2010
Tortula muralis on a brick wall in the garden, February 27, 2010
Tortula muralis on a brick wall in the garden, April 8, 2010
Tortula muralis on a terracotta pot in the garden, May 16, 2010
Unidentified moss #1
Unidentified moss in the garden, April 8, 2010 - possibly one of the identified ones but at a different stage?
Unidentified moss in the garden, April 8, 2010 - possibly one of the identified ones but at a different stage?
Unidentified moss #2
Unidentifed moss in the garden in February 2010 - growing neatly and very green on logs
Unidentifed moss in the garden in February 2010 - growing neatly and very green on logs
The Squirrelbasket 
Some really nice moss photos! They were helpful to me as I am attempting to identify several common species of mosses for an upcoming post. I have found that I did not know the names of mosses I have grown up around, and identifying these varieties is proving to be a bit of a challenge. Thanks Pat!
I’m still learning, too, and there are still a few puzzlers 🙂
Strangely, we had a really good year for mosses at the time I first created that page, but I have never seen such lovely moss since. Although I keep looking!
By the way, I particularly like your blog post about the beautiful piece of rope-end on the beach!
I am now following your blog and will tweet that rope end right now…
Thanks so much for following my blog! It is a bit humbling to find that someone with such a remarkable site as yours, has taken an interest in my posts. I hope to come up with subjects that appeal to you. And I am really looking forward to exploring your site as well. Thanks Pat!
Aw, shucks (as I think they say)…
Holy cow..I have been trying to ID my mosses..I have a book and I am going to get some photos together..it is tough..but living here with a pond and woods makes it easy to see moss…great mossy minds think alike?…Michelle
I have never had such a good year for mosses as the one when I started putting together the ID project, but I still live in hope of finding something I haven’t seen before.
I too have a book, but it’s VERY difficult to identify mosses form pictures, isn’t it?
A lovely site with helpful photos! Can you recommend a good moss identification book for someone just starting out – I live in the southeastern U.S. Thanks.
I’m afraid I am in the UK and found this one helpful. But I’m not sure what would help in the USA! But this website for Project Noah in the southeast US may be helpful? All the best 🙂
Hi I am developing an interest in lychen , moss , liverwort and seaweed. I never realised until I was forced to stop and look around me that I noticed so many varitey ‘s of the afore mentioned and how wonderfully colourful and beautiful they are.
Are there courses about them ? are there any apps available to purchase to help me identify what I come across ? Hope you can help.
Johnathan
They are great, aren’t they?
I don’t know if there are any courses – it would probably depend on where you live. But you could try contacting your local wildlife trust.
There is a good identification website for British lichens here. And there is the British Lichen Society here.
For mosses there is a good identification page here – it’s for Leicestershire but the mosses would no doubt look the same all over the UK.
Finally, I have just found a free iPhone app called Lichen Guide by Michael Hicks. It looks quite useful. I don’t know if it’s available for Android phones…
Hope that helps 🙂
Thank you, much appreciated .
The app is Awesome and the site is great , Thanks again
No problem – and thanks for asking as it means I found the app for the first time, too!
Best wishes 🙂
Hi ! You have a great load of info and photos !
Does moss definitely grow spores ?
Do you mind checking out my below photo and see if they are moss ?
I found them on soil, rocks and the side of drains.
They look like mini grass.
Thank you !
Ethan
Sure looks like moss to me!
I’m not a real expert, just a fan of moss, but of course Wikipedia will tell you almost everything you want to know about moss if you go to this link.
All the best 🙂
Sure looks like moss to me!
I’m not a real expert, just a fan of moss, but of course Wikipedia will tell you almost everything you want to know about moss if you go to this link.
All the best 🙂
Thanks a lot !
Someone pointed me to the direction of “tortula muralis” and it looks really similar.
Cheers !
Thanks for a lovely post! That is really helpful as I’m struggling to identify the mosses I see on the island of Hvar. Clearly I need to wait for the capsules to grow, as so many mosses otherwise look very similar. Marion
Thank you for your kind comment – although I have been neglecting mosses lately. When I started this page it was a particularly good year for moss, but I haven’t experienced another one like it.
Bets wishes 🙂
Thankyou. That was really helpful.
Interesting, great job on your project!! And thanks.
Thank you, although I haven’t been able to add to it for some time.
Best wishes 🙂
I love this! Have you read ‘ The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert. Forgive me if I repeat someone else. Haven’t read all the comments…
I hadn’t read it – or even heard of it. But now I have read a review I have bought it for my Kindle.
Thank you for the recommendation 🙂
[…] My mosses identification project | The Squirrelbasket […]
Lovely photos and well done for such a determined effort to learn mosses, which I find quite tricky, though not as tricky as lichens (which I had expected to be easier than mosses)
Juliet
http://craftygreenpoet.blogspot,com
Thanks – but really I know nothing!
It is strange that there also seem to be good years and bad years for mosses and I haven’t seen such lush mosses for a while.
All the best 🙂
last one is star moss !
Thank you for helping.
Do you have a Latin name for that? The only star moss I can see online looks a bit bigger and more straggly? That would be Campylopus introflexus??
Best wishes – stay safe 🙂