Mosses, Liverworts, and Lichens
Media
Species Types
Scientific Name
Polytrichum juniperinum
Description
Juniper haircap moss is common and easy to recognize, since it looks like a tiny forest of juniper sprigs. It’s called a haircap moss because the young capsules have densely hairy caps.
See Also
About Mosses, Liverworts, and Lichens in Missouri
Mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens seem rather similar, but these organisms are in very different groups. Mosses, liverworts, and hornworts are small, low plants usually found in damp habitats. Unlike more familiar plants, they lack veinlike structures and do not produce flowers or seeds — instead, they produce spores. Meanwhile, lichens are not plants at all: they are a collection of different fungi that have photosynthetic algae living within their tissues.