Polytrichum junipericum

English name: Juniper haircap

An acrocarpous moss that forms open patches of unbranched shoots. The stems are reddish and have evenly spaced, greyish-green leaves that have a distinctive red-brown tip. In spring, male plants have reddish-orange, modified leaves that appear to form a terminal flower.

Capsules mature in summer.

In Scotland, Polytrichum junipericum is widespread on dry, grassy heaths, fixed dune grassland, forest tracks and boulder tops. BBS distribution map

Look out for Dicranum scoparium, Hypnum jutlandicum and Pleurozium schreberi nearby.

Confusion species: Polytrichum piliferum

Polytrichum junipericum on a rootplate of an uprooted sycamore in birch woodland near Peterculter (VC92)
Polytrichum junipericum on a track at Craigmore Wood, Potarch (VC92)
Polytrichum junipericum at Arnhall Moss LNCS, Westhill (VC92)