In my experience it is impossible to assign correct identifcation to any moss, liverwort or hornwort with microscopic examination of the leaf structure. And often positive identifcation depends upon reproduction structures - sporophytes and spores. I have posted several such photomicrographs on my …

thanks for the advice … I am very new here, learning about posting and comments.

You can use quotes to post all answers in 1 comment, just choose the part of comment you need and click on “answer with quote”.

There are books out there about identifying mosses with a hand lens … I wrote one, using the format of the guide by Susan Munch. The classic is the volume by Grout.

I’ve just gotten a couple of hand lenses with the intention of looking at mosses from my property, so I’m glad to read this thread! Grout’s book link example ( 1924 3rd ed ) I also have access to the guide by Munch , one by Karl McKnight et al , another by Ralph Pope (good beginner tips in that one) …

[image] helen48: I have posted several such photomicrographs on my page, but think this content is inappropriate for Inaturalist and I may remove them all. My point of view: every post that, together with the overall overview, depicts a plant in its smallest detail should be welcome and users…

I wouldn’t call any mossy area neat because squirrels can tear it up pretty much hiding the acorns. Whenever I’m walking in the mossy areas, I just try to tear nearby moss to cover the hole and press down firmly.

Sorry, I’m still new to the inaturalist part of SEEK and computers are not friendly to me. Or is it the other way around?:rofl: Basically I’d have to figure where that section is and my original 2 articles include pictures to help explain things better. I have no idea if the links could be sent pri…

Hello! And actually not! The first place I found moss hiding was in a full sun area of the backyard under the grass. Sure, moisture and shade help and I was wondering if the moss underneath the grass would grow in full sun. So I started removing the grass and stomping on the moss to push down any th…

[image] Ba_humbugi: That includes leaves, acorns, small rocks, sticks, seeds and other debris that I called “forest confetti.” :smiling_face: What a great term! The tips are great. The only place I’ve seen moss growing nearby are in relatively bare spots on the north-side of buildings. I do…

[image] Ba_humbugi: I wouldn’t call any mossy area neat because squirrels can tear it up pretty much hiding the acorns In Robin Wall Kimmerer’s beautiful book, Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses, she describes a research project in which they found that chipmunks increas…

Bryophyte identification

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Bryophyte identification

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