Woodsy thyme-moss is a moss of damp, shady ground across much of North America, Europe, and Asia, and one of the easiest mosses to recognize, with glassy, bright green leaves set in two flat rows along the stem. Look for fine teeth on only the upper half of each leaf. It is also called baby tooth moss.
Appearance
- Appearance
- Small and leafy, with shoots about 5/8–1 5/8 in (1.5–4 cm) tall. Leaves are elongated ovals about 1/8 in (3 mm) long, translucent green, with a strong running into a sharp tip.
- Growth form
- Some stems creep along the ground and can form loose mats; others stand upright and usually carry the . It often grows as single stems mixed in with other mosses.
- Leaves
- Fine teeth run along only the upper half to two-thirds of the leaf edge, and the leaf base runs down the stem.
Look-alikes
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Moist woods
- Rotting logs and stumps
- Damp rocks
- Wet meadows and rich peatlands
- Range
- Widespread across North America; very common in Missouri, where it often shows up as single stems among other mosses.
- Preferred conditions
- Grows on soil, rotting wood, tree bases, stumps, and rocks in shady, damp spots, often where the soil or rock is rich in minerals. Its main limit is a lack of moisture.
- Seasons
In Missouri
Fruit Mar–May
Life cycle
- Breeding season
- In Missouri, capsules appear in early spring, light green at first, and turn tan by May.
- Reproduction
- Male and female organs usually form together on the same plant. Thin stalks rise from the upright stems and hold the spore capsules above the moss; the stalks turn rust-colored as the capsules ripen.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
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