English name: Neat feather-moss
A distinctive pleurocarpous moss that forms coarse wefts of green or yellow-green, more or less regularly pinnate shoots and relatively short branches. The species has an stout, fat appearance. The leaves are loosely adpressed and overlapping, only a little longer than wide, and are deeply concave. The distinctive feature of this moss is a small, recurved point at the tip of the leaves.
Capsules mature in autumn and winter.
In Scotland, Pseudoscleropodium purum is widespread in unimproved acidic grassland and heathland, on banks and among rocks. BBS distribution map
Look out for Brachythecium rutabulum, Hypnum cupressiforme and Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus nearby.
Confusion species: Pleurozium schreberi, Calliergonella cuspidata
scottishlichens.co.uk 