Broom Forkmoss

Dicranum scoparium, commonly called broom forkmoss, is a moss in the family Dicranaceae, first described by Johann Hedwig, native to most of the northern hemisphere as well as Oceania. It forms round clumps or mats on soil in dry to moist forested areas across North America, Europe, Asia, northern Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Plants are usually robust and coarse, forming shiny tufts with woolly stems two to eight centimetres high and lance shaped, strongly toothed leaves three and a half to eight millimetres long, most of them folded and curved to one side, with urn shaped capsules held on stalks up to thirty five millimetres long. Male plants are less common than females and are usually smaller.