Knight’s Plume Moss
Ptilium crista-castrensis
APPEARANCE
Knight’s plume is a green moss with feathery, curly branches.
RANGE & HABITAT
Knight’s plume is a common moss in northern B.C., found at low to subalpine elevations. It will grow on logs, rocks, and trees in mixed and coniferous forests.
LIFE CYCLE
Mosses release spores into the air instead of seeds. In Knight’s plume, there is a brown capsule which grows out of the branches to release these spores.
ANIMAL USES
Because it is so common, it provides habitat (cover) for many small animals and is used as a lining for nests.
TRADITIONAL USES BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
Mosses have many uses with First Nations groups. They can be used as a dishcloth, a stuffing for mattresses and pillows and to line cradles and bags. Moss is mixed with pitch in canoe construction and with mud to build log cabins.
OTHER USES
Dried moss is used for decorations, indoor plants, and for packing fragile things.
STATUS
COSEWIC: Not at Risk
CDC: Yellow