#tortula brevipies

[mossinformed]

MOSS FACTS

Some moss leaves have a costa, a thickened structure running down the center of the leaf that provides support and has some capacity to transport water. This is just one of many adaptations bryophytes developed when they decided to move from water to land ~500 MILLION years ago. Half a billion.

Coastal seaweed communities were developing around the same time, and some have a midrib, which is a structure along the blade with a similar purpose.

Images used with permission: leaves of Tortula brevipes (possibly muralis) under the microscope and close-up of the costa.

[mossinformed]

Now that I am back in the herbarium after a Series of Events, here is a running list of mosses I have collected & identified for the herbarium. My job is mostly curating old collections but I’m getting better at IDs!

Tortula brevipies

Tortula ruralis

Fontinalis hypnoides

Tortella tortuosa

Bryum gemmiparum

Encalypta procera

Didymodon tripharius