Status in Britain: Common

In Wales this a moss mainly of upland acid woods, heaths, degraded and drying blanket bogs, and roadside banks. A fairly robust plant, which with its flattened, regularly-branched shoots has a somewhat leaf-like appearance. Its stems are red in colour (a useful feature in distinguishing this from the similar Thuidium tamariscinum) and covered in minute leaf-like structures (paraphyllia) in addition to the normal leaves. It is sometime known as the 'pick-a-back' moss because of the way new season's shoots grow up from the 'back' of the previous season's shoots.