Organisms

Bryopsida

A class of plants within the Bryophyta comprising the mosses, which are found in both damp (including freshwater) and drier situations. Mosses possess erect or prostrate leafless stems, which give rise to leafless stalks bearing capsules. Spores formed in the capsules are released and grow to produce new plants. (Concise Dictionary of Biology, 1990). Many small plants bearing the name moss are in fact not mosses. The moss found on the north side of trees is actually a green alga (CHLOROPHYTA). Irish moss is really a red alga (RHODOPHYTA). Beard lichen (beard moss), Iceland moss, oak moss, and reindeer moss are actually LICHENS. Spanish moss is a common name for both LICHENS and an air plant (TILLANDSIA usneoides) of the pineapple family. Club moss is an evergreen herb of the family LYCOPODIACEAE.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A class of plants within the Bryophyta comprising the mosses, which are found in both damp (including freshwater) and drier situations. Mosses possess erect or prostrate leafless stems, which give rise to leafless stalks bearing capsules. Spores formed in the capsules are released and grow to produce new plants. (Concise Dictionary of Biology, 1990). Many small plants bearing the name moss are in fact not mosses. The moss found on the north side of trees is actually a green alga (CHLOROPHYTA). Irish moss is really a red alga (RHODOPHYTA). Beard lichen (beard moss), Iceland moss, oak moss, and reindeer moss are actually LICHENS. Spanish moss is a common name for both LICHENS and an air plant (TILLANDSIA usneoides) of the pineapple family. Club moss is an evergreen herb of the family LYCOPODIACEAE.

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

9 entry terms
  • Mosses, True
  • Bryopsidas
  • Mosse, True
  • True Mosse
  • True Mosses
  • Ceratodon
  • Physcomitrella
  • Ceratodons
  • Physcomitrellas

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

20 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings adverse effects, anatomy & histology, chemistry, classification, cytology, drug effects, embryology, enzymology, genetics, growth & development, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, parasitology, physiology, poisoning, radiation effects, toxicity, ultrastructure, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

entry term MOSSES, TRUE: check MeSH for other moss term

MeSH Record

History Note

2004(1996)

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Plants (1966-1995)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. B01w.875w.800w.575w.137w.500w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Bryopsida. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D019068. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D019068
  2. Bryopsida. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryopsida
  3. Bryopsida. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q831482