# Cypress-leaved Plait-moss (*Hypnum cupressiforme*)

Cypress-leaved Plait-moss is a soft, green moss that often grows on trees and rocks. It looks like tiny, fluffy pillows and helps keep the forest moist and cool.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Forests

![Cypress-leaved Plait-moss](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Hypnum_cupressiforme0.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Kurt Stüber \[1\], CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hypnum_cupressiforme0.jpg)

## Appearance

The Cypress-leaved Plait-moss is a low-growing moss that forms dense, flattened mats. It has distinct, feather-like stems densely covered with small, overlapping, yellowish-green to dark green leaves. These leaves curve towards one side, giving it a characteristic braided or plaited appearance, distinct from other mat-forming mosses.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Bryophyta
- **Class:** Bryopsida
- **Order:** Hypnales
- **Family:** Hypnaceae
- **Genus:** Hypnum

## Interesting facts

- Ancient people sometimes used this tough moss for bedding or even insulation!
- It gets its name because its tiny leaves look like cypress tree scales!
- Some tiny insects and mites live hidden deep within its cozy carpet homes.
- This moss can dry out completely and then spring back to life with rain!

## Special abilities

- **Water Sponge Power:** Cypress-leaved Plait-moss can soak up lots of water, like a super sponge, helping nearby plants stay hydrated during dry spells.
- **Climate Shield:** Cypress-leaved Plait-moss has dense mats that protect soil from erosion and insulate it from extreme temperature changes.
- **Spore Dispersal Ace:** Cypress-leaved Plait-moss can release tiny spores, carried by wind, to spread and colonize new damp places far away.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 1-10 cm
- **Spread:** 5-100 cm
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Great Grey Slug (*Limax maximus*) — Slugs sometimes graze on mosses, including this species.
- **Shelter:** [Ground Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ground-beetle) (*Carabus nemoralis*) — Its dense mats provide shelter for various small insects like this beetle.
- **Depends on:** Blackbird (*Turdus merula*) — Birds gather its soft strands for building cozy, insulated nests.

## Traits

- [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
- [Nonvascular](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nonvascular): This trait characterizes plants lacking specialized vascular tissues (xylem and phloem) for transporting water and nutrients.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Symbiotic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/symbiotic): Describes a relationship between two different species where they live in close association, often benefiting one or both.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.
- [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Cypress-leaved Plait-moss?

Compare growth form, branching, tiny leaves and any spore capsules. Mosses, liverworts and lichens can share a spot but are very different organisms. Moss Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Cypress-leaved Plait-moss?

1-10 cm

### How wide does Cypress-leaved Plait-moss spread?

5-100 cm

### Is Cypress-leaved Plait-moss edible?

No

### Is Cypress-leaved Plait-moss toxic?

None

### What is Cypress-leaved Plait-moss's lifecycle?

Perennial

### Where is Cypress-leaved Plait-moss usually found?

Forests

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Cypress-leaved Plait-moss: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cypress-leaved-plait-moss)