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Rhizogonium novaehollandiae facts for kids

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Rhizogonium novaehollandiae
Glaucous moss watagans.jpg
Moss growing in Watagans National Park, Australia
Scientific classification
Genus:
Rhizogonium
Species:
novaehollandiae
Synonyms
  • Fissidens novaehollandiae Brid.
  • Skitophyllum novaehollandiae (Brid.) Bach.Pyl.
  • Hypnum novaehollandiae (Brid.) Arnott
  • Mnium novaehollandiae (Brid.) Müll.Hal.

Rhizogonium novaehollandiae is a special type of moss. It grows in damp places. You can find it in countries like Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Central America and South America. In Australia, it often grows on wood, rocks, and tree ferns.

About This Moss

What Does It Look Like?

This moss has stems that creep along surfaces. From these stems, branches grow upwards or hang down. It has two neat rows of leaves. You can clearly see the main stem between these leaf rows.

When the moss gets dry, its leaves fold inwards. This helps it save water. Each leaf is less than three times longer than it is wide. It has a strong central vein, called a costa. This vein sticks out a little at the very tip of the leaf.

Where Does It Grow?

Rhizogonium novaehollandiae loves moist places. It can be found in different parts of the world. In Australia, it grows in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania. It also lives in New Zealand, South America, and Central America. It often attaches itself to wood, rocks, or the trunks of tree ferns.

Who Found This Moss?

The first European person to collect this moss was Jacques Labillardière. He was a French botanist. Scientists first wrote about this plant in the year 1802. A German-Swiss scientist named Samuel Elisée Bridel-Brideri published the description. He was a bryologist, which means he studied mosses and similar plants.

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