Moss bell heather facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moss bell heather |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Harrimanella
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| Species: |
hypnoides
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| Synonyms | |
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Harrimanella hypnoides is a small, pretty flowering plant. It belongs to the Ericaceae family, also known as the heath family. You might hear it called moss bell heather because it looks a bit like moss and has bell-shaped flowers.
This plant is the only species in its group, called a genus, named Harrimanella. Its scientific name, hypnoides, means 'like Hypnum '. Hypnum is actually a type of moss. So, its name tells us it looks like a moss!
About the Moss Bell Heather
Harrimanella hypnoides is a very tough plant. It can survive in cold places. It is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It grows back each year.
Where it Grows
This plant loves to grow in rocky cracks. You can find it in very cold parts of the world. It lives in the Canadian Arctic and Quebec. It also grows in the Northeastern United States.
Across the Atlantic, it is found in Greenland and Iceland. You can also see it in the mountains of Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It even grows in Svalbard and the cold parts of Russia, including the Ural Mountains.
What it Looks Like
Harrimanella hypnoides forms soft, moss-like cushions. These cushions are usually about 5 cm tall. Its stems often lie flat on the ground. But the tips of its shoots grow upwards.
The leaves of this plant are very small. They look like tiny scales. This is another reason why it reminds people of moss. The flowers are easy to spot. They are white and shaped like little bells. Each flower has five petals that are joined together. It also has five sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower.
These pretty flowers grow one by one. They are on short, reddish stems. After the flower blooms, it forms a fruit. This fruit is a capsule that stands upright.
