#apple moss

A very thick and lush patch of wet moss!

Apple moss | ©arlanda  (Monfragüe National Park, Extremadura, Spain)

Bartramia pomiformis is a moss that typically forms cushions and tufts bluish-green to yellow-green. The green and toothed leaves of this species are relatively long, ranging from 4-9 mm. They are narrow and lance-shaped while the base is slightly widened and the edges often bend backwards. Sporophytes are frequent and are present at the tip of the main stems (acrocarpous). The sporangia are spherical, pale green and shiny when they are immature, which is why its common name is ‘apple moss’. When young, the sporngia are upright and become horizontal, ridged and grooved as they mature.