A Minute on Moss

Raise your hand if you remember our conversation on Moss way back in March. March Moss Madness was it? We discussed the complicated process that mosses goes through to make more moss. And, if you recall, I said it could take 4 to 6 months for the spore capsule (correctly called a “calyptra”, which sits atop a stem called a “seta”) to develop. Well, here we are, two months later, and in my neck of the woods, they are just chugging along and have reached a point where you can easily tell male from female moss. A highly prized skill to dazzle your friends with don’t you think?

We are talking about the Hair Cap moss, one of the many Polytrichum species. A fairly typical moss on the Cape, perhaps where you are too, that is in abundance around the bog where I walk. And how do you know male from female? Well, the female is the one with the long slender stem coming from it, with the “haircap” on top, which will have the spores inside. They are still ripening in there, and probably won’t do that cool, top-popping-up to disperse the spores in dry weather thing, for another month or so. The male, rather than having a slender thread, has a golden crown on top- a kingly sort of male. Where I see them, there are whole mats of males, and next too it, large patches of females, with their caps rising like miniature masts.

Remember, that not all moss reproduce at the same time, so you may look at your patch and think I am seeing things, no tall stems on yours, or golden crowns either. But hunt around and I bet you will find some. These are also the same mosses that curl their leaves up tightly when it is dry and look like burnt little sticks. It is how many of ours looked just two days ago. Now, however, we have had a lovely rain and they are vibrant and green again with leaves unfurled.

There you have it then, just a small something to look for to add richness to your day. And now, back to work for all of us, in the home, garden or in my case, the jam kitchen tonight.