Leucodon sciuroides (Hedw.) Schwägr., 1816

Common names

🇬🇧 Squirrel-tail Moss
🇫🇷 Leucodon queue d’écureuil

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Setaphytes
Clade: Bryophytes
Class: Bryopsida
Subclass: Bryidae
Order: Hypnales
Family: Leucodontaceae
Genus: Leucodon
Species: Leucodon sciuroides

Presence

Present.

Conservation status

Red List (Europe): LC Least Concern

Notes

Possible confusion with Homalothecium sericeum (Hedw.) Schimp., 1851, which has a glossy appearance and branched shoots, while L. sciuroides has a matte appearance and unbranched shoots, or with densely packed, short branches at the tip. H. sericeum is also more common.

Found on trees in woodland.

Photographs

img/leucodon-sciuroides.webp — *Leucodon sciuroides*

img/leucodon-sciuroides-2.webp — *Leucodon sciuroides*

img/leucodon-sciuroides-3.webp — *Leucodon sciuroides*

img/leucodon-sciuroides-5.webp — *Leucodon sciuroides*

img/leucodon-sciuroides-4.webp — *Leucodon sciuroides* - Close-up showing plicate leaves

Sources

Atherton, I., Bosanquet, S., & Lawley, M. (2010). Mosses and Liverworts of Britain and Ireland: a field guide (p. 675). British Bryological Society.
González Mancebo, J. (2019). Leucodon sciuroides (Europe assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2019. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/87466119/87714571