Bryoandersonia Moss (Bryoandersonia illecebra)
Description
Bryoandersonia illecebra, of the family Brachythecieaceae, is a shiny, green to greenish yellow-brown species of moss with creeping stems and ascending, intertwined branches that form deep mats. It is quite large and striking compared to most moss species, making it relatively easy to find and identify in the field. Its most distinctive feature is the smoothly cylindrical -rat-tail- appearance of its stems and branches (especially when they are dry). Upon very close examination of the stems and branches, one may discern closely overlapping, broad, concave (cupped, like the bowl of a spoon, with the dish opening toward the stem) leaves, up to 2.8 mm in length, covering all surfaces. The leaves narrow abruptly to short, twisted points.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Bryophyta
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Class: Bryopsida
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Order: Hypnales
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Family: Brachytheciaceae
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Genus: Bryoandersonia
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