Two days ago, I wrote about Polytrichum juniperinum, so today (before you forget what P. juniperinum looks like), I thought I’d write about the other Polytrichum species in Aotearoa, Polytrichum commune. P. commune looks, at first glance, quite similar to P. juniperinum, however it can be distinguished by the fact that the margins of its leaves are not in-rolled. P. commune can also grow taller than P. juniperinum. The tallest I’ve seen P. commune is about 15 cm, but specimens with stems up to 30 cm long have been recorded. Like P. juniperinum, P. commune is widespread and common around the world. It is often seen in wetter areas than P. juniperinum, but their habitat preferences do overlap somewhat, and the two species can occasionally be seen together. Often, people unfamiliar with Aotearoa’s bryophytes seem to assume that all Polytrichum in Aotearoa is P. juniperinum, and P. commune gets forgotten about. Personally, I think P. commune is cuter and deserving of a higher moss rating than P. juniperinum
Cuteness: 7/10
Distinctiveness: 10/10
LMR: 8/10

Posted on October 24, 2024 11:57 PM by fuligogirl