Johann Hedwig

Polytrichum commune (also known as common haircap, great golden maidenhair, great goldilocks, common haircap moss, or common hair moss) is a species of moss found in many regions with high humidity and rainfall. The species can be exceptionally tall for a moss with stems often exceeding 30 cm (12 in) and rarely reaching 70 cm (27.5 in), but it is most commonly found at shorter lengths of 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in). It is widely distributed throughout temperate and boreal latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere and also found in Mexico, several Pacific Islands including New Zealand, and also in

Polytrichum is a genus of mosses — commonly called haircap moss or hair moss — which contains approximately 70 species that have a cosmopolitan distribution. The genus Polytrichum has a number of closely related sporophytic characters. The scientific name is derived from the Ancient Greek words polys, meaning "many", and thrix, meaning "hair". This name was used in ancient times to refer to plants with fine, hairlike parts, including mosses, but this application specifically refers to the hairy calyptras found on young sporophytes. A similar naming related to hair appears in Old Norse, haddr

Buxbaumia (bug moss, bug-on-a-stick, humpbacked elves, or elf-cap moss) is a genus of twelve species of moss (Bryophyta). It was first named in 1742 by Albrecht von Haller and later brought into modern botanical nomenclature in 1801 by Johann Hedwig to commemorate Johann Christian Buxbaum, a German physician and botanist who discovered the moss in 1712 at the mouth of the Volga River. The moss is microscopic for most of its existence, and plants are noticeable only after they begin to produce their reproductive structures. The asymmetrical spore capsule has a distinctive shape and structure,

Bryum is a genus of mosses in the family Bryaceae. It was considered the largest genus of mosses, in terms of the number of species (over 1000), until it was split into three separate genera in a 2005 publication. As of 2013, the classification of both Bryum and the family Bryaceae to which it belongs underwent significant changes based on DNA studies.

Polytrichum juniperinum, commonly known as juniper haircap or juniper polytrichum moss, is an evergreen and perennial species of moss that is widely distributed, growing on every continent including Antarctica.

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

Bryum argenteum, the silvergreen bryum moss or silvery thread moss, is a species of moss in the family Bryaceae. It is one of the most common mosses of urban areas and can be easily recognized without a microscope.

Orthotrichum is a genus of moss in the family Orthotrichaceae. It is distributed throughout the world. There are about 125 species in the genus. Species include: Orthotrichum affine Orthotrichum alpestre Orthotrichum anomalum Orthotrichum bartramii – Bartram's orthotrichum moss Orthotrichum bolanderi – Bolander's orthotrichum moss Orthotrichum casasianum Orthotrichum consimile Orthotrichum crassifolium Hook.f. & Wilson Orthotrichum cupulatum Orthotrichum diaphanum Orthotrichum epapillosum Orthotrichum exiguum Orthotrichum fenestratum Orthotrichum flowersii Orthotrichum gymnostomum

Funaria is a genus of approximately 210 species of moss. Funaria hygrometrica is the most common species. Funaria hygrometrica is called “cord moss” because of the twisted seta which is very hygroscopic and untwists when moist. The name is derived from the Latin word “funis”, meaning "a rope". In funaria root like structures called rhizoids are present. Capsules are abundant with the moss surviving as spore when conditions are not suitable. Moss plant Funaria grows in dense patches or cushions in moist shady and cool places on rocks, walls or crevices during the rainy seasons. It has a height

Fissidens is the only genus of haplolepideous mosses (Dicranidae) in the family Fissidentaceae. It contains over 480 species.

Dicranum scoparium, the broom forkmoss, is a dicranaceous moss, native to most of the northern hemisphere as well as Oceania. It usually forms and grows in round mass clumps or mats on soil in dry to moist forested areas. As with many types of moss Broom moss grows in clumps with Broom mosses as well as other mosses. It can be distinguished by its leaves, which strongly curve to one side.

Andreaea is a genus of rock mosses described by Johann Hedwig in 1801. They are small, delicate acrocarpous mosses (meaning that the capsules are formed at the tips of vertical branches) that form dark brown or reddish cushions on wet siliceous rocks in mountainous areas. The capsule lacks the peristome teeth and operculum of other mosses, and opens by splitting along 4 vertical slits, the four valves remaining joined at the base and apex. The capsule of Andreaea has no seta, but the sporophyte (Spf in the diagram below) instead is supported by a pseudopodium (ps) derived from gametophyte

Polytrichum piliferum, the bristly haircap, is an evergreen perennial species of moss in the family Polytrichaceae. The bristly haircap moss is small-sized to medium-sized and forms loose tufts with wine-reddish stems. It is an acrocarpous moss that appears bluish-green to grey. This moss grows in clumps on erect shoots and becomes a red-brown colour as it grows older. The most distinguishing feature of P. piliferum is the long, white awn at the tips of the leaves, which also give this moss its grey colour. It is the only species in its genus where the awn is completely hyaline.

Hypnum is a genus of mosses belonging to the family Hypnaceae. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. A common name sometimes used for Hypnum moss is "carpet moss".

Fontinalis antipyretica, greater water-moss, or common water moss, is a species of submerged aquatic moss belonging to the subclass Bryidae. It is found in both still and flowing freshwater in Europe, Asia, Greenland and Africa. In North America it is found in most Canadian provinces with a seaboard and most US states except the most southern.

Fontinalis is a genus of submerged aquatic mosses belonging to the subclass Bryidae. These mosses are also called willow moss, fountain moss, brook moss and water moss. The genus is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere and includes both species that occur in still water and in flowing water.

Grimmia is a genus of mosses, originally named by Jakob Friedrich Ehrhart in honour of Johann Friedrich Carl Grimm, a physician and botanist from Gotha, Germany.

Dicranum is a genus of mosses, also called wind-blown mosses or fork mosses. These mosses form in densely packed clumps. Stems may fork, but do not branch. In general, upright stems will be single but packed together. Dicranum is distributed globally. In North America these are commonly found in Jack pine or Red pine stands.

Tortula muralis, commonly known as wall screw-moss, is a species of moss in the family Pottiaceae. T. muralis is found throughout the world.

Funaria hygrometrica, the bonfire moss or common cord-moss, is a type of water moss which grows on shady, moist soil. It can also be found on moist walls and the crevices of rocks and places where recent fires have taken place. It has been reported to grow in Niagara Cave, an artificially illuminated cave devoid of natural light. Under such conditions, its growth form changes so that the internodes lengthen and the leaves become longer and narrower. The plant body is green, soft and upright, about half an inch tall. The rhizoids present in this species are multi-cellular and branched. They

Andreaea rupestris is a species of moss in the class Andreaeopsida, are commonly referred to as the "lantern mosses" due to the appearance of their dehisced sporangia. It is typically found on smooth, acidic, exposed rock in the Northern hemisphere. It exhibits the common features of the genus Andreaea such as being acrocarpous, having dark pigmentation, lacking a seta, and bearing 4 lines of dehiscence in its mature sporangia, but can be further identified upon careful examination of its gametophytic leaves which have an ovate base to a more blunt apex compared to other similar species.

Tetraphis pellucida, the pellucid four-tooth moss, is one of two species of moss in the acrocarpous genus Tetraphis. Its name refers to its four large peristome teeth found on the sporophyte capsule.

Neckera pennata is a species of moss belonging to the family Neckeraceae. It has a cosmopolitan distribution. Feather flat moss can be an indicator of late successional and old-growth hardwood forests, because it usually grows on sugar maples in the Northeast that are at least 120 years old.

Fissidens taxifolius, the common pocket moss, is a species of moss in the family Fissidentaceae. First described by Johann Hedwig in 1801, it is a small to medium-sized moss that typically grows in dense, yellowish-green to dark green tufts. The species is characterised by its distinctive flattened appearance, with leaves arranged in two opposite rows resembling tiny fern fronds, and by its pointed leaf tips with projecting central nerves. It can grow in artificial light and is known to form extensive turfs in suitable conditions. The species has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, being

Bartramia pomiformis, the common apple-moss, is a species of moss in the Bartramiaceae family. It is typically green or glaucous in hue, although sometimes it can appear yellowish. The stems extend from a half cm to 8 cm, with narrowly lanceolate to linear-lanceolate leaves 4 – 9 mm long. The leaves have a nerve and are toothed. They are curled when dry but stick out when moist. The capsules are particularly distinctive, being spherical and asymmetric, initially green but becoming brownish and ridged with age. They are around 2 mm diameter carried on a stalk 2 cm long. Reddish rhizoids can

Splachnum, also known as dung moss or petticoat moss, is a genus of moss that is well known for its entomophily. It commonly grows on patches of dung or decomposing animal matter.

Sphagnum capillifolium, the red bogmoss, northern peat moss, acute-leaved bog-moss, or small red peat moss, is a species of peat moss native to Canada, the northern United States, Greenland, and Europe. Small red peat moss can be distinguished by its sweeping, outward-curving branches that resemble tresses. Sphagnum moss can hold large amounts of water within its cells, up to 20 times its own weight. This capability is due to its dead, empty cells called hyaline cells that fill up with water. This allows the moss to survive in wet, boggy habitats around rivers and lakes.

Pohlia is a genus of mosses in the family Mniaceae, found on all continents including Antarctica. Some of its species are native to multiple continents. The center of diversity is the Northern Hemisphere. The genus name of Pohlia is in honour of Johann Ehrenfried Pohl (1746–1800), who was a German physician and botanist. The genus was circumscribed by Johann Hedwig in Descriptio et Adumbratio microscopio-analytica Muscorum Frondosorum vol.1 on page 98 in 1785-1787.

Fissidens adianthoides, the maidenhair pocketmoss, is a North American moss in the family Fissidentaceae. It was first described by Johann Hedwig in 1801. The Nitinaht First Nations of Vancouver Island have used maidenhair moss to bandage wounds. It was named by the Anglo-Saxons based on its resemblance to pubic hair.

Barbula convoluta, also called Streblotrichum convolutum, less commonly known as lesser bird's-claw beard-moss and Convoluted Beard Moss is a species of moss belonging the family Pottiaceae. The leaves are between 0.5 millimetres (0.020 in) and 1.5 millimetres (0.059 in) in length and are broadly lanceolate or more parallel-sided. The leaves become firm when wet. The stems are 1 to 1.5 centimetres (0.39 to 0.59 in). The seta is slender and yellow, and measured about 1 to 1.8 centimetres (0.39 to 0.71 in), the theca is 0.8 to 1.2 millimetres (0.031 to 0.047 in), and the spores are smooth and