Identification notes
This handsome moss of northern and western upland limestone (and other hard, base-rich rock) is, when fertile, immediately recognised as one of the Bartramiaceae because of its distinctive apple-like capsules. The other genera in this family are Bartramia, Conostomum, Philonotis and Breutelia. However, only Bartramia pomiformis and B. ithyphylla are likely to be mistaken for Plagiopus given that they share its cushion-forming habit. In practice, though, neither is likely to occupy the strongly calcareous habitat of Plagiopus.
Did you know that there are only two species of Plagiopus in the world, one of which is confined to New Zealand?
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