Bristly Haircap

This moss makes life easy for the beginner in several ways.  Its stiff pointed leaves mark it out as one of the Polytrichales, and end in a white bristle or hair, which is unique to Polytrichum piliferum.  So even without capsules, it’s not too hard to pin down.

In addition, it often appears with red ‘flowers’ on the male plants.

These are just so pretty – who could resist taking far too many photos of them?

It also has brightly coloured capsules, especially when young (this picture taken in February):

When the capsules mature, they become rounder and more hairy (this picture taken in April, with P. piliferum growing through another moss):

Finally, the old capsules can be found (this picture taken in August).

I’ve usually found it growing in fairly exposed rock crevices, both east and west of Scotland, sometimes with other mosses growing through it.  Sometimes growing at the edge of other vegetation.

I’m always happy to see it – and it was great to find it still thriving on Drumcarrow hill in Fife, where Charles Howie recorded it mid-19th century.

Pictures from Drumcarrow hill (Feb 2020), Kilmory in Ardnamurchan (Aug 2019) and somewhere else… (April 2018)