BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Ceratodon purpureus | Fire Moss 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Fire moss is a native, short moss that forms dense tufts or sometimes
cushions [3,28].  The stems are erect, usually about 0.5 inch (1.3 cm)
long.  The upper 0.19 inch (0.5 cm) is current year;s growth [28]; often
slightly branched by forking at the tip of the old growth [8].  The
stems sometimes become 2.4 to 3.1 inches (7-8 cm) long in shaded places
[14].  Leaves are short and hairlike, spreading when moist; somewhat
folded or twisted when dry [8,28].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
NO-ENTRY


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Fire moss is dioecious [30].  The capsules are held horizontally on the
end of a long seta (fruit stalk) [28].  Fire moss generally fruits
abundantly [8].  Wind is the main method of spore dispersal [23].

Spore germination in fire moss is a two-phase process.  Spores first
swell then distend [22].  Usually the setae are present in great numbers
in the colony; with changes in humidity they twist and untwist.  This
movement helps to jerk the capsules, helping in spore discharge.
Possibly the contraction of the grooves in the capsule at maturity also
helps to squeeze out the spores [28].  Spores of fire moss have remained
viable even after drying for 16 years [26].

Vegetative reproduction:  Fire moss reproduces vegetatively via
protonemata (threadlike or platelike growths) [2].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Fire moss is often found on disturbed sites.  It occurs on a wide range
of substrates including soil, rock, wood, humus, old roofs, sand, and
cracks of sidewalks [8,16,28].  It is most abundant on exposed, compact,
mineral, dry, gravelly or sandy soils but tolerates a wide range of soil
textures [28].  Sand dunes close to water in Scotland are colonized by
fire moss, which grows between the shoots of grasses [26].  Fire moss is
typically found associated with other species characteristic of
disturbed sites such as fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) and pearly
everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) [6].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Obligate Initial Community Species

Fire moss prefers low competition and high light; however, it is
somewhat shade tolerant [15,18].  It is a colonizer of disturbed sites
and readily invades mineral soil by spores [23].  Fire moss is often
replaced by flowering plants in later stages of succession [26].  In the
black spruce (Picea mariana)-lichen woodlands of Alaska and Canada, the
first stage of revegetation, which lasts from 1 to 20 years, is
dominated by pioneer mosses such as fire moss.  Fire moss continues to
increase in the early part of the shrub stage but begins to decrease
toward the end of this stage [32].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Fire moss sporophytes appear early in the spring, as soon as the snow
melts [3].  In March, the setae reach their full height and begin to
turn from green to red.  Capsules mature by late spring [8].  By
midsummer the capsules often decay, and the setae break from the moss
[14].

Related categories for Species: Ceratodon purpureus | Fire Moss