If you've ever taken a walk through the forest in the Touraine Loire Valley then you've probably seen this moss. But because it's a moss, you probably didn't know what it was called.
Common Striated Feather Moss Eurhynchium striatum (Fr. Eurhynchie striée) is a big bouncy sort of moss, and very distinctive in the way it climbs up the stems of small saplings scattered around the damp shady forest floor.
The species is present all over France, but especially in a wide band from the North-East to the Pyrenees. It's not so abundant in the North-West or along the coasts. Its heartland is Central lowland France, right where we are in the Touraine. Our damp clay soil and deciduous leaf litter suits it perfectly and it can form cushions and carpets. It is a species you would expect to encounter in any long established woodland.
If you examine the leaves with a loupe you will see that they are wrinkled, forming lengthwise folds (or striations). Overall it presents as bright green and a bit shiny.
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