Small, green tufts

At first sight, moss may seem a bit boring. It’s green and is found in different-sized patches on tree trunks, the forest floor, and stones or branches, and that’s pretty much it, right? Actually, moss is really interesting, and beautiful too. But its parts are so small, that you really need a magnifying glass if you want a closer look at the small, green tufts.

Moss has green leaves just like most other plants, but they don’t produce flowers or set seeds. Instead, they have tiny spore capsules, which look like very fine crystals, sitting on the tips of tall, thin, brown stalks. Moss can be round like a ball, long and thin like sausages, or curved like weird cucumbers. Some grow only on the ground; others prefer tree bark and there are some that even thrive growing on concrete blocks and old train tracks.