The open plant encyclopedia
Snap a photo or search by any name to see how to care for it, where it comes from, whether it's safe, and a 3D model you can turn.
The plants people record most in your country, and ones that grow there wild.
Filter by what you want to do, shape, origin, country, care and safety.
Hypnum cupressiforme
Also called Cypress Leaved Plait Moss
Hypnum cupressiforme, the cypress-leaved plaitmoss or hypnum moss, is a common and widespread species of moss belonging to the genus Hypnum. It is found in all continents except Antarctica and occurs in a wide variety of habitats and climatic zones. It typically grows on tree trunks, logs, walls, rocks and other surfaces. It prefers acidic environments and is fairly tolerant of pollution. It was formerly used as a filling for pillows and mattresses; the association with sleep is the origin of the genus name Hypnum (from Greek Hypnos).
This small to medium-sized moss is about 2–10 cm long. It is pleurocarpous, with prostrate, creeping stems that form smooth, dense mats. The branched stems are covered in overlapping leaves, giving the impression of a cypress tree. The stem leaves are long and thin, measuring 1.0-2.1 mm by 0.3-0.6 mm.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Hypnum cupressiforme by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
