wiry colonies in the dry exposed soils

Size
Height: 5–15 cm
Lifespan
5–10 years
Diet
Photosynthetic. Draws energy from sunlight. Requires well-drained, acidic soil and good light. Tolerates poor soils and drought.
Habitat
Grows in dry, exposed, acidic soils on heaths, rocky banks, and disturbed ground. Forms upright, wiry, bluish-green colonies in tough places.
Range
Found throughout North and South Islands in dry, exposed, acidic soils. Most common in dry, open areas of South Island high country and North Island volcanic plateau. Also found worldwide.
Endemism
Native
Main Threats
None significant. One of most widespread and resilient mosses in world. Localised threats include habitat loss, quarrying, and climate change affecting moisture.
Population
Not Threatened. One of most widespread mosses in world. Found on every continent except Antarctica. Common in dry, exposed, acidic habitats in New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Human Risk
harmless
Handling Note
common moss, safe to handle
Conservation Note
Native moss; not assessed by NZTCS as bryophytes are generally outside the scope of current threat classifications.
Te Ao Māori
No recorded Māori name distinguishes great hairy moss from other mosses. Mosses were generally called pūkohu or rimu. Tough, wiry moss on exposed banks would have been noticed. Looked like hair of a creature. Like bristles of a brush. No distinct name survives. Sometimes used as bedding material and for lining hangi ovens. Tough stems were durable.
It does not inhabit the damp exclusively. Polytrichum juniperinum looks like it has seen things. Its stems are upright and unbranched. Reaching 5 to 10 centimetres in height. The leaves are long, narrow, and pointed. Arranged in a dense spiral around the stem. Stiff and wiry. With a distinctive bluish-green colour. Sets it apart from other mosses. The leaves curl inward when dry. Protecting the growing tip from desiccation. It is the moss of the tough place. The one that thrives where other mosses wither. What makes it special is the toughness. Great hairy moss is one of the most drought-tolerant mosses in New Zealand. It can survive long periods of dry weather. Curling its leaves inward to reduce water loss. When the rain returns, the leaves unfurl. The moss greens up within hours. It is the moss of the resurrection. The one that comes back from the dead with every rain. The one that has learned to wait. It is a close relative of common haircap moss. Shares many advanced features. Has a primitive vascular system. Allowing it to grow taller than most mosses. Leaves have microscopic lamellae. Upright plates on upper surface. Increasing surface area for photosynthesis. Leaves also have reddish-brown base. Giving stem a distinctive striped appearance. Under a hand lens, lamellae are visible. Rows of tiny green fins on leaf surface. Biologically, it reproduces by spores. Released from capsules at tips of tall, reddish-brown stalks. Capsules are square-shaped when young. With a hairy calyptra. Cap that gives genus its name. Spores are tiny. Carried by wind to new locations. To find great hairy moss is to find the wiry, bluish-green patch on the dry bank. Tough, wiry, and resilient. A living survivor on exposed ground. Run your finger over the tips. Feel the stiffness. The wiry texture. It is the moss of the tough place. Thrives where most things have given up. Proves resilience is a form of strength. It carries on regardless.