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Cat's Tail Moss

Pseudisothecium stoloniferum

Cat's Tail Moss is a soft, green plant that grows in shady, damp places. It looks like tiny green tails and is fun to touch! This moss helps keep the soil healthy and provides homes for tiny creatures.

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The Cat's Tail Moss has soft, feathery fronds that form dense, plush mats of deep green to yellowish-green. Its branches spread out, giving a distinctive, somewhat flattened, lacy appearance. It often resembles miniature ferns or tiny, bushy cat's tails.

KingdomPlantaePhylumBryophytaClassBryopsidaOrderHypnalesFamilyLembophyllaceaeGenusPseudisothecium
Cat's Tail Moss
nonvascular trait badgegrasslike trait badgeshade_tolerant trait badgespore_producing trait badge
Cat's Tail Moss

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

2

Interesting facts

It doesn't have true roots, getting water directly through its leaves.

Mosses help create new soil by slowly breaking down rocks. Wow!

This ancient plant existed even before dinosaurs walked the Earth!

Tiny animals like 'water bears' can live safely tucked away in its leaves.

Special abilities

Ability

Spore Sprint

Cat's Tail Moss releases tiny spores that travel on wind and water, allowing it to colonize new places far away.

Ability

Revive Power

Cat's Tail Moss can dry out completely and appear dead, only to revive and turn green again when it gets water!

Measurements & details

Height
2-10 cm
Spread
5-50 cm
Edible
No
Toxicity
None
Lifecycle
Perennial
Pollination Method
Water

Ecological connections

eats

leopard slug

Limax maximus

grazes on its moist fronds

shelters

red wood ant

Formica rufa

builds nests or finds refuge within its mats

shelters

water bear

Paramacrobiotus richtersi

tiny water bears live safely within its leaves

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

It's safe to touch, but be gentle and don't pull it out of the ground.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Cat's Tail Moss?

The easiest way to identify Cat's Tail Moss is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.

How tall is Cat's Tail Moss?

2-10 cm

How wide does Cat's Tail Moss spread?

5-50 cm

Is Cat's Tail Moss edible?

No

Is Cat's Tail Moss toxic?

None

What is Cat's Tail Moss's lifecycle?

Perennial

How is Cat's Tail Moss pollinated?

Water

Where is Cat's Tail Moss usually found?

Forests

Snap Map

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