Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 7827922

Swan-necked Earth-moss

Microbryum curvicollum

Also known as Curved-stalk Earth Moss

Swan-necked earth-moss is a miniature, winter-annual bryophyte adapted to exposed chalk and limestone ground. Its tiny, bud-like rosettes anchor to shallow ground and produce spherical capsules on distinctively curved stalks that arch downward like a swan's neck. Gametophytes complete their brief life cycle through damp autumn and winter months before desiccating, leaving durable spores to bridge the dry summer.

BryophyteEphemeralCalcareous
Swan-necked Earth-moss reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Christian Berg, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christian Berg · cc-by
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
  • Slugs
  • Snails
  • Soil mites
ThreatsSuccession to coarse turf, cessation of grazing, and agricultural runoff
HabitatsChalk grassland, limestone banks, quarries, and open calcareous soil
Life spanLess than 1 year (winter-annual ephemeral)
Classification
  1. FamilyPottiaceae
  2. SpeciesMicrobryum curvicollum
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Magnification: Use a 10x or 20x hand lens to inspect the bent seta and tiny capsule.
  • Seasonality: Search open chalk banks between late autumn and early spring when capsules mature.
  • Tread Lightly: Step carefully along bare tracks to avoid crushing fragile micro-soil crusts.
Related species
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