Moss names cover around 12,000 species of non-vascular plants found on every continent, including Antarctica. Browse the full list — from common peat plants to rare woodland species.
Crystalwort
Riccia fluitans
leucobryum moss
Leucobryum glaucum
broom forkmoss
Dicranum scoparium
hypnum moss
Hypnum cupressiforme
delicate thuidium moss
Thuidium delicatulum
Common Liverwort
Marchantia polymorpha
Common Haircap Moss
Polytrichum commune
Jagged Germanderwort
Riccardia chamedryfolia
fissidens moss
Fissidens fontanus
streamside leptodictyum moss
Leptodictyum riparium
Crescent-cup liverwort
Lunularia cruciata
seductive entodon moss
Entodon seductrix
silvergreen bryum moss
Bryum argenteum
antifever fontinalis moss
Fontinalis antipyretica
juniper polytrichum moss
Polytrichum juniperinum
fringed heartwort
Ricciocarpos natans
leucobryum moss
Leucobryum albidum
common stonewort
Chara vulgaris
ceratodon moss
Ceratodon purpureus
great hairy screw-moss
Syntrichia ruralis
square goose neck moss
Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus
Schreber's big red stem moss
Pleurozium schreberi
blunt-leaved bog-moss
Sphagnum palustre
Dawsonia superba
Dawsonia superba
polytrichum moss
Polytrichum piliferum
Ciliate Hedwigia Moss
Hedwigia ciliata
American climacium moss
Climacium americanum
Many-fruited Thyme-moss
Plagiomnium affine
Vertebrata lanosa
Vertebrata lanosa
funaria moss
Funaria hygrometrica
knights plume moss
Ptilium crista-castrensis
Goblin Gold
Schistostega pennata
Sand-hill Screw-moss
Syntrichia ruraliformis
California asterella
Asterella californica
Creeping Feather Moss
Amblystegium serpens
Magellan's sphagnum
Sphagnum magellanicum
brachythecium moss
Brachythecium rutabulum
pulvinate dry rock moss
Grimmia pulvinata
octoblepharum moss
Octoblepharum albidum
Great Scented Liverwort
Conocephalum conicum
horn calcareous moss
Mnium hornum
common pellia
Pellia epiphylla
goose neck moss
Rhytidiadelphus loreus
undulate atrichum moss
Atrichum undulatum
aulacomnium moss
Aulacomnium palustre
Stair Step Moss
Hylocomium splendens
Wall Scalewort
Porella platyphylla
tamarisk thuidium moss
Thuidium tamariscinum
campylopus moss
Campylopus introflexus
polytrichum moss
Polytrichum strictum
sphagnum
Sphagnum capillifolium
sphagnum
Sphagnum flexuosum
tortula moss
Tortula muralis
Bank Haircap Moss
Polytrichum formosum
Common Crystalwort
Riccia sorocarpa
toothed sphagnum
Sphagnum cuspidatum
sphagnum
Sphagnum fallax
sphagnum
Sphagnum angustifolium
sphagnum
Sphagnum fuscum
Warnstorf's sphagnum
Sphagnum warnstorfii
Download our free app and get access to thousands of plants database with AI-powered identification
Mosses are non-vascular plants. They don’t have true roots, stems, and leaves, so they absorb water and nutrients through their surface. Most species grow just a few centimeters tall; some are barely visible to the naked eye.
They have been on land for about 460 million years — fossil evidence confirms they were among the earliest plants to colonize dry land, long before flowering plants existed.
They can dry out completely and rehydrate when moisture returns. This lets them survive on surfaces like bare granite or exposed rock, just as Andreaea moss does today.
This name is often used for all bryophytes, but three separate divisions:
Common Name | Division | Key Trait | Est. Species |
True | Bryophyta | Leafy stems, complex spore capsule | ~12,000 |
Liverworts | Marchantiophyta | Flat or leafy thallus, oil bodies in cells | ~5,000 |
Hornworts | Anthocerotophyta | Horn-shaped sporophyte | ~150 |
Despite looking similar, these 3 groups are structurally distinct. Crystalwort, a liverwort, floats on still water, field hornwort spreads flat across damp soil, and true mosses form cushions on rock and bark.
These plants retain water far beyond their own weight, stabilizing humidity in forests and sustaining wetland habitats. Their dense carpets also shelter microorganisms, fungi, and invertebrates. Ribbed bog moss is a typical example — its thick cushions keep surrounding soil moist long after rain stops.
Sphagnum moss plays an outsized role in global climate. It builds peatlands by slowing decomposition — dead material that locks carbon away for centuries. Moreover, peatlands cover just 3% of global land area yet hold around 30% of the world's soil carbon.
.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
8 min read · 10 Sept 2026
Discover 10 garden flowers that require minimal care. Learn which characteristics make plants easy to grow and follow tips on how to create a beautiful corner from beginner-friendly blooms on your property.
6 min read · 15 Sept 2026
Plants can grow under artificial light when the setup provides a suitable spectrum, enough intensity, and sufficient daily exposure. This guide explains how artificial lighting compares with sunlight, which options work indoors, and how to match a setup to houseplants.
5 min read · 9 Jul 2026
Banana water can provide potassium and some nutrients that may support plant growth, but it is not a universal fix. Use it carefully and only when the plant actually shows signs of nutrient deficiency rather than as a routine treatment.
