Triquetrella spp.

triquetrella moss

Pottiaceae

Southern Hemisphere and warm temperate zones

Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 7–11

Overview

Triquetrella spp. is a genus of small mosses in the family Pottiaceae, found on soil and rock in warm-temperate and subtropical regions of the Southern Hemisphere and beyond, including Australia, southern Africa, and the Americas. The plants form low turfs or mats rarely more than 0.4-1.2 inches (1-3 cm) tall. Stems are erect to spreading and clothed in small leaves that are often arranged in three rows, a feature reflected in the genus name. The leaves are lance-shaped to triangular, with margins that are frequently recurved and a surface bearing tiny papillae that give the plants a dull, grey-green to brownish cast when dry. Like other mosses, Triquetrella spp. lacks true roots, flowers, and vascular tissue, anchoring instead by thread-like rhizoids and absorbing moisture directly through its leaves. Reproduction is by spores released from capsules raised on short stalks, and by fragmentation. The genus colonises bare, disturbed, and seasonally dry ground, surviving drought by curling its leaves and reviving when moisture returns.

Native Range

Species occur across the Southern Hemisphere and warmer temperate zones, including Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa, and parts of North and South America, growing on soil, rock, and disturbed ground.

Suggested Uses

Used in moss gardens, green roofs, terraria, and rock features where a low, drought-tolerant ground layer is wanted. Also used in ecological studies of soil-crust and pioneer vegetation.

How to Identify

Forms low, dull grey-green to brownish turfs under 1.2 inches (3 cm) tall. The small leaves are often set in three rows along the stem, lance-shaped to triangular with recurved margins and a papillose surface. When dry the leaves curl and twist, expanding again when wetted.

Appearance

Colors

Foliage Colors

green

brown

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Mosses do not flower. Triquetrella spp. reproduces by spores borne in capsules that mature mainly during the cooler, wetter months, releasing spores when the lid-like operculum falls away.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

grey-green to brown

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 3-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

rocky sand loam

Drainagedry

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

As a moss, Triquetrella spp. needs no soil fertility and draws water and nutrients directly from rain and humidity. It grows on bare mineral soil, rock, and compacted ground in sites ranging from full sun to light shade, tolerating periodic drought by drying out and reviving when moisture returns. In cultivation for green roofs or terraria it requires only a firm, moist surface and freedom from prolonged waterlogging. It is propagated by fragmenting established turfs and pressing them onto a damp substrate. Competition from vascular plants and deep leaf litter are the main limits to its persistence.

Pruning

Pruning does not apply to mosses. Established turfs can be trimmed or divided to control their spread or to provide fragments for propagation.

✓ Toxicity

Non-toxic

Moss