Underneath all the other plants, a layer of mosses seals in the little moisture remaining in the sandy soil of the meadow. And from ground height, the stems bearing sporophytes stand tall.
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| Haircap moss, Polytrichum sp. |
This genus (the name means "many hairs") gets its common name, "haircap", from the elegant, finely hairy sheath, or calyptra, that covers developing spore cases. When they are ripe, the cap drops off, and the spores are released.
The moss on our cliff is already pretty dry. Needs a good rain to perk up. - Margy
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