#tankmos

Originally described as Dicranum introflexum in 1801. Known as tankmos in the Netherlands and Belgium, thanks to the likely role tanks had in spreading the species during WWII.

Native to New Zealand, southern South America, southern Africa, southern and eastern Australia, and various other Atlantic and Pacific islands including New Caledonia and the South Sandwich Islands. However, it's also been introduced to many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, and is invasive in some areas such as Iceland, where it finds geothermal areas quite to its liking. It will sometimes reproduce asexually, with stem tips broken off and distributed by the wind. Once established, they can cover several hundred square meters within ten years.

It is a pioneer species found on bare peat after peat-cutting, on bare soils after burning or ploughing, in decalcified bogs and dunes, on rotting logs and fence posts, and on roadsides, spoil heaps, and roof shingles.