Common Tamarisk Woodmoss
The common tamarisk woodmoss (Thuidium tamariscinum) is a moss with delicate, fern-like branches that grows in damp woods and shady banks in Europe and elsewhere. Its triple-feathered shoots resemble tamarisk twigs.
The common tamarisk woodmoss (Thuidium tamariscinum) is a moss with delicate, fern-like branches that grows in damp woods and shady banks in Europe and elsewhere. Its triple-feathered shoots resemble tamarisk twigs.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Common Tamarisk Woodmoss in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Diaphoretickes lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
A Fern-Like Moss
The shoots branch three times, giving a lacy look reminiscent of a fern. The tiny leaves are only one cell thick and absorb water directly from rain and mist, as mosses have no true roots.
Water and Fertilization
Mosses need liquid water for their swimming sperm to reach the eggs, which limits them to damp habitats. The spore capsule is borne on a slender stalk and releases spores through a toothed opening.
Woodland Indicator
The moss occurs mainly in older, humid woods, so it can indicate stable woodland conditions. See Glittering Woodmoss.
Common Tamarisk Woodmoss at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Thuidium tamariscinum |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Phylum | Bryophyta |
| Class | Bryopsida |
| Order | Hypnales |
| Family | Thuidiaceae |
| Field Guide group | Diaphoretickes: Plants & Algae |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Delicate fern-like fronds branched three times, forming bright green carpets on damp woodland floors. |
| Group | Bryophytes |
| Branching | Triple-pinnate |