Moss

Botanical Characteristics:

• Mosses are non-vascular plants in the division Bryophyta.
• They are small, herbaceous plants that absorb water and nutrients through their leaves.
• Mosses lack water-bearing xylem tracheids or vessels, distinguishing them from vascular plants.
• The dominant phase of the moss life cycle is the haploid gametophyte generation.
• Mosses reproduce using spores, not seeds, and do not have flowers.
• Mosses have threadlike rhizoids that anchor them to their substrate.
• Mosses have only a single set of chromosomes, making them haploid.

Commercial and Ecological Significance:

• Mosses are the main constituent of peat, mostly the genus Sphagnum.
• Used for decorative purposes in gardens and the florist trade.
• Traditionally used for insulation and liquid absorption.
• Important for habitat restoration and reforestation.
• Approximately 12,000 moss species worldwide.
• Moss habitat varies from cool coastal forests to basalt flows.
• Shade tolerance and substrate preferences vary by species.
• Mosses require liquid water for fertilization and can survive desiccation.
• Relationship with cyanobacteria benefits ecosystem health.

Reproductive Mechanisms:

• Dioicous mosses have separate male and female sex organs on different plants.
• Monoicous mosses have both sex organs on the same plant.
• Sperm in mosses are biflagellate and require water for fertilization.
• Some moss species use splash cups to increase fertilization distance.
• Mosses rely on wind or specialized mechanisms for spore dispersal.
• Microarthropods aid in moss fertilization.
• Mosses emit scents to attract pollinators for fertilization.
• Gemmae on mosses allow for asexual reproduction without fertilization.

DNA Repair and Classification:

• Moss species like Physcomitrella patens are used to study DNA repair mechanisms.
• Homologous recombination is essential for repairing DNA in mosses.
• DNA damage repair is crucial for normal plant functions and fertility.
• Mosses are classified under the division Bryophyta with liverworts and hornworts.
• Mosses and liverworts belong to a clade called Setaphyta.
• Various moss classes like Sphagnopsida and Polytrichopsida have distinct characteristics and diversity.

Cultivation and Uses:

• Moss considered a weed in grass lawns but valued in Japanese gardening.
• Moss collections often transplanted from the wild.
• Moss can be grown from spores using porous and moisture-retentive materials.
• Moss used in bonsai for enhancing age impression.
• Mosses in green roofs offer advantages like reduced weight loads and high drought tolerance.
• Mosses are also utilized on green walls.
• Mosses have historical uses in insulation, bedding, and wound dressing.
• Commercially, intact moss is used in the florist trade and home decoration.

Moss Data Sources