Mosses – Division Bryophyta
Print
EmailLife cycle
Mat-forming, mostly perennial spore-producing plants.
General description
Low-growing plants with very small foliage that form dense clumps in shady, moist places. Clumps rang from dime-sized to several feet across. Some upright growth is possible, but plants usually reach only 0.25 to 1 inch in height. Plants have rootlike rhizoids, which are not true roots but have similar functions. New plants form by vegetative reproduction and by spores released from capsules at the ends of leafless stalks. No true flowers or fruit are produced.
Leaves
Densely and spirally arranged leaves are very small, 1/16 to 1/8 inch long and awl-shaped. They lack petioles.
Stems
Slender, hairlike and highly branching.
Reproduction
Vegetatively and by spores.
Other Documents in this Series
You Might Also Be Interested In
-
Insect Diagnostics
Published on July 31, 2025
-
How to Submit Wheat Samples to MSU Plant & Pest Diagnostics
Published on May 19, 2020
-
Sampling Wheat for Diagnostics
Published on May 22, 2020
-
Plant & Pest Diagnostics – Know Your Problems
Published on May 25, 2023
Accessibility Questions:
For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr.msu.edu.