It’s a damp but sunny October. If you are looking for something free that helps you connect with nature, the Discovering Mosses activities are just for you. This is the first blog in the Moss Safari “Discovering Mosses” project. It pairs with the infographics I am making as I research, learn, and put my mossy knowledge into practice.
You know the green fuzz on seaside rocks: is that a moss? Those “moss balls” in jars at the garden centre: are they moss? The grey crusty growth on trees: is that a moss? Surprise: none of these are mosses, although they are often mistaken for them.
So, how do we know when something really is a moss?
Bryophytes (a quick, friendly primer)
Bryophytes is a helpful umbrella term for some of the earliest land plants that do not have vascular tissue, in other words no special tubes to transport water (xylem or phloem). It is not a single family in the strict taxonomic sense; rather, it is a convenient label for three distinct lineages that share similar life strategies and features.
Mosses (Phylum Bryophyta). Tiny plants with leafy shoots and spore capsules on slender stalks, called setae. Globally there are about 12,000 to 13,000 species. Britain and Ireland have around 760.
Liverworts (Phylum Marchantiophyta). These appear either as leafy scraps or as flat, lobed thalli (waxy fronds). Many have oil bodies and delicate, ribbon like forms. Globally there are roughly 7,000 to 9,000 species. Britain and Ireland have about 330.
Hornworts (Phylum Anthocerotophyta). Flat, dark green thalli with long, horn like spore structures. There are far fewer species worldwide, only a couple of hundred, and there are only a few in Britain and Ireland.
Think of bryophytes as small, soft pioneers of damp places, and masters of drying out and springing back to life when water returns.
Characteristics of mosses, what to look for
- Leafy shoots in clumps, cushions, or carpets. Moss shoots often form upright tufts, called acrocarps, or spreading mats, called pleurocarps.
- No flowers, seeds, or fruits. Mosses reproduce with spores that are produced in a capsule, the sporangium, which is often held up on a thin stalk called a seta.
- Leaves that are one cell thick. The tiny leaves are usually a single cell layer with a central nerve, the costa, for support. There is no network of veins like those found in ferns or flowering plants.
- No true roots. Mosses use rhizoids, fine brownish threads, for anchoring rather than for drawing up water like roots.
- Texture. Typically soft, velvety, or sponge like when moist. Many species can dry out completely and then rehydrate.
- Life cycle tip. The green plant you notice is the gametophyte, which is the main stage in mosses. The spore capsule is the sporophyte, and it depends on the green plant for sustenance.
Things that look like moss, but are not
- Irish or sea moss. This name usually refers to red algae such as Chondrus crispus or Eucheuma species. These are marine organisms, not land plants.
- Spanish moss. This is a flowering plant in the bromeliad family, Tillandsia usneoides, which is related to pineapples.
- Reindeer moss, oak moss, and Iceland moss. These are lichens, that is, partnerships between fungi and algae or cyanobacteria, not plants.
- Slimy green mats in sea or freshwater. These are generally algae, not moss.
- Marimo “moss” balls. These are rolled spheres of green algae, Aegagropila linnaei.
- Clubmosses and spikemosses. These are small vascular plants in the lycophyte lineages and are more closely related to ferns than to true mosses.
Quick checks: is it a moss?
- Green leafy shoots that form cushions or carpets. Look for tiny, distinct leaves that spiral around a stem.
- Spore capsules on thin stalks, at least sometimes. You will not see them all year, but when present they are a strong clue.
- Soft to the touch. Often velvety when moist. Many species revive after rewetting.
- Often in shady or damp places. Common on woodland floors, walls, logs, roofs, and soil banks. They are not limited to shade; many thrive on exposed walls that receive regular rain or dew.
If your “moss” is slimy in water, crusty like paint, or has obvious flowers, true roots, or visible veins, pause and reconsider. You may have algae, lichen, or a small vascular plant.
What next?
Now that you have confirmed you are looking at a moss, we can start narrowing it down. The next infographic in this series examines growth forms, for example cushions versus mats , so that you can move from broad groups to individual species.
How to use the infographic, a mini field activity
Use this as a family activity, classroom activity or even a solo adventure!
- Download the infographic to your phone.
- On a walk in the city, a park, a coastline, or a woodland, look for green patches and take close photos.
- Sort your finds into three albums: “moss”, “not a moss”, and “not sure”.
- Revisit the “not sure” photos at home with a hand lens or a microscope. Start noticing leaf shape, the midrib, and any capsules.
- Share your favourites and tag me. I love seeing what you discover.
Join in and support
I post regular finds and updates on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. Come and say hello, and share your photos. I am learning as I go, and I will certainly make the odd mistake. Polite corrections are very welcome.
All of the resources in this project are free to use. If you would like to support my educational work, you can leave a tip or pick up Moss Safari merchandise. Your support helps me keep creating and sharing more moss magic.
References and Resources
These are the sources that I used to research this infographic and blog.
Neil Bell (2025) The Hidden world of mosses. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.*
Ian Atherton, Sam Bosanquet, Mark Lawley (Editors) (2010) Mosses and Liverworts of Britain and Ireland a field guide. British Bryological Society. Available from here.
Dominic Price and Clive Bealey (2022) A field guide to bryophytes. The Species Recovery Trust. Available from here.
Elizabeth Lawson (2024) Moss and Lichen. Reakton Books.*
*I use Amazon Associates to help fund Moss Safari Education Activities. Clicking and purchasing on these links may generate some small income at no cost to you.
Generative AI use Statement
As part of the Discovering Moss series, I use generative AI to review my clarity of communication both in design and in writing. Every post is reviewed and fact-checked by me, combining human curiosity with responsible AI assistance to share the wonder of mosses.
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