File:A moss - Polytrichum piliferum - geograph.org.uk - 974857.jpg
Summary
A moss - Polytrichum piliferum Polytrichum piliferum has the common name Bristly Haircap.
Though it might pass at first sight for a tiny alpine flower, this is a moss rather than a flowering plant; the red flower-like structures (called perigonia, or splash cups) are visible at the end of male shoots in spring. "Splash cups" refers to the fact that these structures aid with the dispersal of the plant's sperm cells by rain.
The grey-white hair-points that extend from the leaf tips are an important feature that distinguishes this species from the otherwise very similar Polytrichum juniperum (which has reddish-brown leaf tips).
This moss was growing on rock, in an acidic upland environment; this is a quite typical habitat for this very common species, which also occurs as an early colonist of freshly burnt heathland. [E.V.Watson, "British Mosses and Liverworts"]
Licensing
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
File history
Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time.
| Date/Time | Thumbnail | Dimensions | User | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| current | 04:13, 8 January 2017 | | 640 × 480 (60 KB) | 127.0.0.1 (talk) | A moss - Polytrichum piliferum Polytrichum piliferum has the common name Bristly Haircap. <p>Though it might pass at first sight for a tiny alpine flower, this is a moss rather than a flowering plant; the red flower-like structures (called perigonia, or splash cups) are visible at the end of male shoots in spring. "Splash cups" refers to the fact that these structures aid with the dispersal of the plant's sperm cells by rain. </p> <p>The grey-white hair-points that extend from the leaf tips are an important feature that distinguishes this species from the otherwise very similar Polytrichum juniperum (which has reddish-brown leaf tips). </p> This moss was growing on rock, in an acidic upland environment; this is a quite typical habitat for this very common species, which also occurs as an early colonist of freshly burnt heathland. [E.V.Watson, "British Mosses and Liverworts"] |
- You cannot overwrite this file.
File usage
The following page links to this file:
