Context
The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) has recently discovered a new moss species, Indopottia himalayensis.
About Indopottia Himalayensis
- Indopottia himalayensis is discovered from the Western Himalayas of Uttarakhand.
- It is only the third known species of its genus globally, with the other two found in the Western Ghats and Thailand.
- Named after the Himalayas, it is a terrestrial moss that grows on soil-covered rocks.
- It produces a distinctive upright cylindrical spore capsule with a lid that bends sideways when dry.
- Its leaves lack certain transparent cells found in closely related species.
Key Facts about Mosses
- Mosses are small non-vascular, spore-bearing plants belonging to the division Bryophyta.
- They are among the earliest land plants and can survive in diverse environments, from Antarctica to deserts and volcanic regions.
- Mosses occur worldwide except in salt-water environments and usually grow in moist, shaded habitats.
- Major types include peat mosses, granite mosses, and true mosses.
