This fuzzy forest moss is suddenly everywhere in Canada
iNaturalist Community
Phenology
If you walk through damp Canadian forests this time of year, this is the carpet-like moss underfoot that naturalists are suddenly logging in record numbers, and spotting it yourself takes nothing more than looking down at a shady log or rock.
Rough goose neck moss is a small, feathery moss that grows in thick mats on logs, rocks, and forest floors. Right now it's having a moment on iNaturalist, with Canadian users logging 125 sightings in one week, up from 106 the week before. That kind of jump usually means the moss is either fruiting, greening up after rain, or just catching more eyes as fall hikers get outside.
Key Findings
125 observations of Hylocomiadelphus triquetrus were logged in Canada over the past 7 days
That's an increase of 19 sightings from the prior week's total of 106
It ranks among the most frequently observed plant species in Canada this week on iNaturalist
chevron_right Technical Summary
A moss called rough goose neck moss is turning up everywhere on iNaturalist right now, with 125 Canadian sightings logged in a week, up from 106 the week before, making it one of the most-spotted plants in the country.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Trending: rough goose neck moss (Hylocomiadelphus triquetrus) — 125 observations this week
Rough goose neck moss (Hylocomiadelphus triquetrus) is a species in the family Hylocomiaceae. iNaturalist users recorded 125 observations of it in Canada in the 7 days before today, among the most ...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
Was this useful?
Want to tell us more? (optional)
Thanks for the note!
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many submissions. Try again in an hour.
Warming killed underground fungi and pushed meadows toward shrublands
Mountain meadows and wildflower-rich grasslands many people hike through and depend on for clean water and biodiversity are quietly transforming underground ...
Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, the big shaggy-moss or rough goose neck moss, is a species of moss in the family Hylocomiaceae. It is often the dominating moss species in moderately rich forest habitats in the boreal regions and the Pacific Northwest. Because of its fuzzy appearance and tail-like sha...