Ceratodon purpureus
English: Redshank; Purple forkmoss; Ceratodon moss; Fire moss; Purple horn toothed moss.
German: Purpurstielchen; Purpurstieliges Hornzahnmoos.
Region: worldwide, tropical, North America.
Clades: Ditrichaceae; Dicranales, Bryanae; Bryophyta; Plants.
Content: photoprotective pigments, protecting against bright Antarctic environment.
Botany: dioicous moss, forms dense tufts or cushions; from yellow-green to red; habitat soil, rock, wood, humus, old roofs, sand, cracks of sidewalks, on exposed, compact, mineral, dry, gravelly or sandy soils, sand dunes, wide variety, urban areas, next to roadsand polluted highway, dry sand soils, mine tailings, areas denuded by wildfire, bright slopes of Antarctica; leaves are short and hairlike, spreading when moist; somewhat folded or twisted when dry; tolerates much higher pollution levels than other mosses, in urban and industrial environments; fruits abundantly; spores wind dispersal; sporophytes appear early in the spring, as soon as the snow melts, in March, the setae reach their full height and begin to turn from green to red; capsules mature by late spring.