Red-stemmed feathermoss Pleurozium schreberi

Features

It occurs on the soils of the boreal forests of Canada, Scandinavia and northern Russia.

Species	Perrenial
Living space	River edge, Swamp
Size

Description

It is also present in moist forests, swamps and marsh margins. It is more common on soils that are poorer in nitrogen and on acidic soils (it is an indicator of low pH). Tolerates shading. It does not grow on calcareous soils. It has a looser growth pattern, growing in carpets. Shoots grow ribbed. It can be used to look for sources of pollution and to determine the level of contamination with heavy metals in the soil. Moss grows near a source of high levels of metals. With its growth, it prevents the rapid leaching of nutrients, as it effectively intercepts precipitation. Some mycorrhizal fungi are also associated with this moss. It is a dioecious species.