Calliergon cordifolium facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Calliergon cordifolium |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Calliergon
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| Species: |
cordifolium
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Calliergon cordifolium is a type of moss often called the heart-leaved spearmoss. It's also sometimes known as calliergon moss. This moss is very common in places where it likes to grow.
Discovering Heart-Leaved Spearmoss
Where Does Heart-Leaved Spearmoss Live?
This moss loves wet places! You can find it in marshes and wet woodlands. It especially likes areas with alder or willow trees. You'll also see it around streams, ditches, and even small pools.
Calliergon cordifolium often grows in clumps with other mosses. It needs a lot of water and can even grow completely underwater. It usually lives in low-lying areas. However, it has been found high up in the mountains, like 910 meters (about 995 yards) above sea level in Scotland!
This moss is found all around the northern parts of the world. It lives in Europe, including cold places like Svalbard, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland. It's also in parts of Asia, like Turkey and Japan. You can find it across North America and even in New Zealand.
What Does Heart-Leaved Spearmoss Look Like?
Calliergon cordifolium is a medium to large-sized moss. It has straight, green stems that can grow up to 15 centimeters (about 6 inches) tall. Its leaves are shaped like eggs and are about 2 to 2.5 millimeters (about 0.08 to 0.1 inches) wide.
The leaves spread outwards from the stem. Near the bottom, the leaves look like a heart shape. At the very tip, they are rounded.
This moss rarely produces tiny spore-bearing capsules. If you do see them, it will be in the spring or summer. The spores themselves are very tiny, only 10 to 16 micrometres across.
It can sometimes be tricky to tell Calliergon cordifolium apart from other similar mosses. These include Calliergon giganteum, Calliergonella cuspidata, Straminergon stramineum, and Pseudocalliergon trifarium.
