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
-
How to choose and when to apply grub control products for your lawn
Published on May 4, 2026
-
Turfgrass pests: Sod webworms, bluegrass billbugs and grubs on the horizon
Published on August 17, 2016
-
Warm, dry weather causes heat tracking in lawns
Published on June 26, 2020
-
MSU Turf Diseases
Published on July 27, 2012
-
MSU Turfgrass Research Reports
Published on May 29, 2015
-
GDDTracker 4.0
Published on May 6, 2015
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.