''Plagiomnium insigne'', the badge moss or coastal leafy moss,
[ is a species of ]moss
Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta ('' sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and ...
found on humus
In classical soil science, humus is the dark organic matter in soil that is formed by the decomposition of plant and animal matter. It is a kind of soil organic matter. It is rich in nutrients and retains moisture in the soil. Humus is the Lati ...
in moist, shaded, lowland forests. It can also be found on soil along trails and other shaded, open areas. The moss sometimes forms lush, extensive mats.
Description
The plants are large and showy, usually between high. They have wide-spreading, glistening leaves when moist that become shrivelled and dull when dry. The fertile plants are unisexual
Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproducti ...
. The male plants can be distinguished by their conspicuously flattened heads. The sterile stems are arched, like those of strawberries.
Badge moss is the largest mnium. It can be distinguished from magnificent moss by its unisexual plants, leaf edges that extend down the stems for a noticeable length, and 3-6 stalked capsules per plant.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q17266963
Mniaceae