Juniper haircap moss, Polytrichum juniperinum (left) has some wonderful reddish capsules and the Plume moss, Dendroalsia  abietina, (right) with its rows of spore capsules.

The colours and common names of mosses are also very interesting. On the left is a moss found beside roads and so called Roadside Rock Moss. The shiny one on the right is called Shining Hookeria Moss.

Mosses which inhabit very moist areas like rainforests are capable of growing over large areas, covering anything in their way.

They can spread over rocks or fallen trees creating an amazing lush, green carpet.

Two mosses that really like to spread are Broom Moss Dicranum scoparium (left) and Plume Moss (right) which, when wet or after a rain, lifts itself up like a plume or feather that soldiers once wore in their hats.

These three close-up shots show the incredible variation in the different species or mosses.

  Stair-step moss Hylocomium splendens (right), Magnificent moss, Plagiomnium venustum (below left) and Menzies Tree Moss Leucolepis acanthoneuron (below right).

Some mosses have male and female plants and these two images are of male mosses: Badge Moss, Plagiomnium insigne, (left) Polytrichum juniperinum (right).

This moss has one of the strangest common names: Electrified Cat’s Tail Moss, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus

Whether they are spreading around the trunks of trees like Neckera douglasii, (left) or spreading across the forest floor like Hypnum circinale, on (right), covering the ground, mosses prove to be amazing plants.

Next time you’re in the forest you may want to pay closer attention to these marvels.