Stats

Lifespan: Perennial
Size: Tiny
Diet: Photosynthetic
Biome: Rocky outcrops
Range: Worldwide
Movement: Sessile
Breeding: Spores
Defense: Desiccation Tolerance
Status: Common

About

Grimmia is a cushion-forming moss that grows on exposed rocks in alpine zones. It can survive complete dehydration by folding its leaves to trap moisture in its core.

Life cycle

1.
seed
A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2.
sprout
A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3.
sapling
A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4.
mature
Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Bryophyta
Class: Bryopsida
Order: Grimmiales
Family: Grimmiaceae
Genus: Grimmia