It is winning the war of the wasteland. Campylopus introflexus is a weed. A successful, aggressive, hard-to-stop weed. It was introduced to New Zealand. It is native to the southern hemisphere but not originally found here. It has spread rapidly through disturbed habitats. It forms dense mats that can smother native mosses and other small plants. It is the moss of the disturbed ground. The one that moves in when the land is cleared. And refuses to leave. The one that looks like it is craning its neck to see what is coming has stems that are upright. Reaching two to five centimetres in height. The leaves are long, narrow, and pointed. But the tips are curled inward. Bent like the neck of a swan. This distinctive leaf curl gives the moss its common name. The colour is pale greyish-green to yellowish-green. Often with a silvery sheen. It forms dense, cushion-like colonies. They can cover large areas of bare soil. It is the moss of the curled tip. The one that looks like it is always watching. What makes it special is the invasiveness. The curled leaf tips are a distinctive feature. The leaves are folded inward at the tip. Creating a shape like a hook or a swan's neck. This curl helps the moss conserve water. Reducing the surface area exposed to the sun and wind. It is the moss of the dry place. The one that can survive where other mosses dry out. The one that has adapted to the harsh conditions of disturbed ground. Biologically, the swan-neck moss reproduces by spores. Released from capsules at the tips of tall, reddish-brown stalks. It also reproduces by fragmentation. Pieces broken off can grow into new plants. It is a pioneer species. Often the first moss to colonise bare soil in disturbed areas. To find swan-neck moss is to find the pale green cushions on the bare bank. It is dense, greyish-green, and curled. A living weed on the disturbed ground. You can see the curled leaf tips. The swan necks. The little hooks that give it away. It is the moss of the disturbed place. The one that has zero intention of leaving. The one that proves that the most successful plants are often the most unwelcome. No recorded Māori name distinguishes the swan-neck moss from other mosses. It is an introduced species. A newcomer to New Zealand. It arrived after the time of the ancestors. The swan-neck moss is a weed. It spreads through disturbed habitats. Covering bare soil with its dense, greyish-green cushions. It is the moss of the roadside. The wasteland. The cleared paddock. The one that has made itself at home in our disturbed landscapes.