English name: Bristly haircap
An acrocarpous moss which forms open patches of shoots with short, greyish green leaves that are densely clustered at the shoot tip and leave the reddish stem somewhat bare below. Characteristic is the tip of the leaves that is drawn out to a white hairpoint. In spring, the male shoots carry deep red, modified leaves that appear to form a terminal flower. Capsules are held inclined on a reddish seta.
Capsules mature in summer.
In Scotland, Polytrichum piliferum is a widespread colonist of dry acidic substrates such as path edges, fixed sand dunes, bare patches in heathy grassland and scree beds. BBS distribution map
Look out for Dicranum scoparium, Polytrichastrum formosum and Polytrichum junipericum nearby.
Confusion species: Polytrichum junipericum
scottishlichens.co.uk 