Rugose Fork-moss

Rugose Fork-moss - Dicranum polysetum

Description

A large moss, with long narrow leaves up to 1cm long, which are very undulate.  The leaves are erect above and spreading below, and are not very curved.  Under the microscope, the leaves are seen as strongly toothed in the upper part and with recurved margins below; the nerve is also toothed and there are two raised lines of cells at the back, best seen from a leaf section.  The stem is covered in dense white felty rhizoids. 

Similar Species

D bonjeanii

Identification difficulty
ID checklist (your specimen should have all of these features)

The growth habit, undulate leaves and mass of white rhizoids help to spot this in the field, but a leaf section should be made to check for the raised lamellae on the back of the leaf

Recording advice

Field and microscope photos are helpful, but we recommend that you retain a specimen for confirmation by an expert 

Habitat

Acid soils.  Heathy woodland, mires and conifer plantations (British Bryological Society)

UK Status

Scarce, but may be increasing (British Bryological Society)

VC55 Status

rare

Further Information

See the British Bryological Society webpage for this species

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

No additional images available for this species.

All NatureSpot records