Species Focus - Springy Turf Moss (Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus)

The winter months and right on into the spring are a great time of year for looking at bryophytes. Vascular plants will have died back and damp conditions will have made the varying shades and textures of mosses and liverworts more readily apparent. Although bryophytes are more difficult to identify than many higher plants, there are some common and distinctive species, such as this month’s species focus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus or Springy Turf Moss.

Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus is a widespread moss. It is very common in lawns and other grasslands. It can form extensive swards, and it is highly likely that it is thriving in your lawn! So why not record a moss? Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus is pale green with a reddish stem visible where the leaves are less dense further down the stem. The leaves are bent back away from the stem (squarrose) giving the tiny shoots a star like appearance from above. Please submit your records using the Cofnod ORS or the LERC Wales App.

Although mosses and liverworts are best identified with the aid of a hand lens, this is one that you should be able to find with the naked eye (or maybe just with the aid of your glasses). If you are unsure, attach a photo to your record for us to check. That said, looking at bryophytes through a hand lens is always advisable and will open up a whole miniature world of beauty. Most bryophytes have leaves that are very thin, often only one cell thick, enabling them to absorb moisture directly, and also giving them a translucent appearance when held up to the light. They make a great subject for macrophotography.

If you would like to learn more about mosses and liverworts get in touch with the North Wales Non-flowering Plant Group - a friendly, informal group who meet up regularly from autumn through to spring at various locations throughout north Wales.