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
-
Student-led bird banding innovation spearheads continuation of data collection despite COVID-19
Published on March 16, 2021
-
Creating innovative models to assess spread, possible management of deadly chronic wasting disease
Published on February 1, 2021
-
Improving the health of Michigan’s fishes
Published on February 1, 2021
-
New trail makes nature more accessible at the MSU Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center
Published on August 25, 2021
-
MSU named Top 10 agriculture and forestry college in new report
Published on March 23, 2021
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.