Knothole moss  (Zygodon forsteri)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Biology

This moss tends to be found in association with older trees that have cavities in exposed roots, or where branches have broken away. These can catch rainwater and fill up with dead leaves. The water trickling out of these reservoirs forms a seepage track which can persist for years. In wet autumns, the moss can form large colonies, but in a dry summer, these can, apparently, disappear rapidly. The trees favoured by the moss are usually ancient beech pollards growing in a well-lit woodland. The practice of pollarding has become less common since the turn of the twentieth century, but has enjoyed a recent revival as the conservation benefits of this form of management have been realised.

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