On cold, contemplative walks, one of the brighter plants to catch the eye are mosses (Bryopyta). Unlike more vascular plants, it looks perky and green regardless of the temperature or relative lack of light. Ungloving my hand, I reach down to feel the smooth and soft features of this non-vascular plant. Spore heads sit up, having given off their progeny. This time of year they are easy to spot, on logs, rocks and other things that are often in the shade and hidden by more flashy and growth-crazy plants of more temperate seasons. But this prehistoric plant, which has been around for nearly 300 million years, is a tough one and a survivor. I continue my walk.
