Cord Moss

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Plant / associate
gregarious apothecium of Anthracobia subatra is associated with gametophyte of Funaria hygrometrica

Foodplant / parasite
fruitbody of Arrhenia retiruga parasitises gametophyte of Funaria hygrometrica

Plant / associate
fruitbody of Clavaria guilleminii is associated with Funaria hygrometrica

Plant / associate
fruitbody of Clavaria tenuipes is associated with Funaria hygrometrica

Plant / grows among
gregarious apothecium of Lamprospora carbonicola grows among gametophyte of Funaria hygrometrica
Remarks: season: esp. Spring

Plant / grows among
apothecium of Octospora roxheimii grows among gametophyte of Funaria hygrometrica

Funaria hygrometrica is one of the most common, weedy, and widely distributed mosses in the world; its distribution closely parallels that of Bryum argenteum. It is widely illustrated in textbooks to demonstrate the life cycle of a typical moss, possibly because of the abundant conspicuous sporophytes produced and its frequent presence in greenhouses. However, the peristome with opposite, instead of alternate, teeth in the two peristome rows is clearly atypical among the majority of mosses. Most of the varieties that have been described probably do not merit recognition because of the morphological plasticity of the species in response to environmental conditions.

Plants 4-10 or more mm, with a basal antheridial branch, medium green to yellowish green; leafless proximally with leaves crowded and bulbiform distally, sometimes laxly foliate throughout. Leaves smaller proximally, distal leaves 2-4 mm, deeply concave, oblong-ovate to broadly obovate distally, acute to apiculate or short-acuminate, entire or weakly serrulate distally; costa subpercurrent to short-excurrent; distal laminal cells thin-walled and inflated, hexagonal or oblong-hexagonal becoming much more oblong proximally. Seta usually (12-)20-45(-80) mm, slender and flexuose, usually hygroscopic. Capsule 2-3.5 mm, pyriform, asymmetric, curved to straight, horizontal to pendent or merely inclined or nearly erect, becoming sulcate when dry below the strongly oblique mouth; annulus revoluble, operculum slightly convex; peristome brown, papillose-striate proximally and papillose distally, strongly trabeculate, becoming appendiculate distally, forming a lattice by fusion of the tips; endostome segments lanceolate about ²/3 as long as the teeth, yellowish, finely papillose-striate. Calyptra cucullate, smooth. Spores mostly 12-21 µm, finely papillose.

North American locality. MOrphological characteristics.

Funaria hygrometrica is often among the first successors to occupy an area after a fire.It is common near recent campfire sites, and in disturbed areas where an abundance of carbon can be found. This has led the French to nickname Funaria hygrometrica "La Charbonnière," meaning the coal peddler (Crum, 1983).

Funaria hygrometrica

Fumaria hygrometrica Hedw., Sp. Musc. 172, 1801. [Original material: Germany, coll. Hedwig.]

Leafy plants budlike when young, with leaves more spreading when mature. Upper leaves to 4 mm long, to 2 mm broad, ovate to obovate, short-acuminate; margin slightly serrulate distally; costa subpercurrent; cells of upper lamina rhomboidal, to 45 μm long, to 20 μm wide; lower cells larger, rectangular, 70–100 μm long, 30–40 μm wide; larger in alar region but not otherwise distinct. Autoicous. Setae solitary, 2–5 cm long, reddish yellow when mature. Capsule becoming inclined to pendant, to 3 mm long, asymmetrical with mouth turned strongly to one side, the one side flattened, the other side often weakly ribbed; operculum large, 0.8 mm in diameter, convex; annulus present; peristome teeth attached apically to small disk; segments 3/4 length of teeth. Spores 14–17 μm in diameter. Calyptra greatly expanded and campanulate in lower part when young.

MAS AFUERA: Q. Casas, near mouth, H. & E. 140; above beach between Q. Casas and Q. Vacas, M. 9340.

The species occurs in all major land areas of the world except Antarctica, and it is often very common on calcareous substrates or in burned-over areas. Brotherus reported the species from both Mas Afuera and Mas a Tierra.

Funaria hygrometrica, the bonfire moss or common cord-moss, is a type of water moss which grows on shady, moist soil. It can also be found on moist walls and the crevices of rocks and places where recent fires have taken place. It has been reported to grow in Niagara Cave, an artificially illuminated cave devoid of natural light. Under such conditions, its growth form changes so that the internodes lengthen and the leaves become longer and narrower.

The plant body is green, soft and upright, about half an inch tall. The rhizoids present in this species are multi-cellular and branched. They have oblique septa. The main axis of the plant, which is upright, bears a set of spirally arranged, sessile leaves having a clearly distinguishable midrib.

Sporophyte of Funaria

At the apex of the main plant axis, the antheridium is borne. This is the male part of the shoot. A lateral branch from the main plant axis bears the female shoot archegonium at its meristem. Experiments have shown that F. hygrometrica can withstand water with 90% heavy water.