Funaria hygrometrica

English name: Bonfire-moss

A distinctive acrocarpous moss with short shoots that form loose carpets. The leaves are egg-shaped and translucent. The capsules are asymmetrical and held on a long, swan-neck seta.

Capsules mature all year round.

In Scotland, Funaria hygrometrica is widespread as a colonist of bare, disturbed and nutrient-rich ground, including bonfire sites. BBS distribution map

Funaria hygrometrica on bare soil in a churchyard in Kincardine o’ Neil (VC92)
Funaria hygrometrica in the side of a coastal track near Cullen (VC94)