Moss animal

Moss animal
Moss Moss (m[o^]s; 115), n. [OE. mos; akin to AS. me['o]s, D. mos, G. moos, OHG. mos, mios, Icel. mosi, Dan. mos, Sw. mossa, Russ. mokh', L. muscus. Cf. {Muscoid}.] 1. (Bot.) A cryptogamous plant of a cellular structure, with distinct stem and simple leaves. The fruit is a small capsule usually opening by an apical lid, and so discharging the spores. There are many species, collectively termed Musci, growing on the earth, on rocks, and trunks of trees, etc., and a few in running water. [1913 Webster]

Note: The term moss is also popularly applied to many other small cryptogamic plants, particularly lichens, species of which are called tree moss, rock moss, coral moss, etc. Fir moss and club moss are of the genus {Lycopodium}. See {Club moss}, under {Club}, and {Lycopodium}. [1913 Webster]

2. A bog; a morass; a place containing peat; as, the mosses of the Scottish border. [1913 Webster]

Note: Moss is used with participles in the composition of words which need no special explanation; as, moss-capped, moss-clad, moss-covered, moss-grown, etc. [1913 Webster]

{Black moss}. See under {Black}, and {Tillandsia}.

{Bog moss}. See {Sphagnum}.

{Feather moss}, any moss branched in a feathery manner, esp. several species of the genus {Hypnum}.

{Florida moss}, {Long moss}, or {Spanish moss}. See {Tillandsia}.

{Iceland moss}, a lichen. See {Iceland Moss}.

{Irish moss}, a seaweed. See {Carrageen}.

{Moss agate} (Min.), a variety of agate, containing brown, black, or green mosslike or dendritic markings, due in part to oxide of manganese. Called also {Mocha stone}.

{Moss animal} (Zo["o]l.), a bryozoan.

{Moss berry} (Bot.), the small cranberry ({Vaccinium Oxycoccus}).

{Moss campion} (Bot.), a kind of mosslike catchfly ({Silene acaulis}), with mostly purplish flowers, found on the highest mountains of Europe and America, and within the Arctic circle.

{Moss land}, land produced accumulation of aquatic plants, forming peat bogs of more or less consistency, as the water is grained off or retained in its pores.

{Moss pink} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Phlox} ({Phlox subulata}), growing in patches on dry rocky hills in the Middle United States, and often cultivated for its handsome flowers. --Gray.

{Moss rose} (Bot.), a variety of rose having a mosslike growth on the stalk and calyx. It is said to be derived from the Provence rose.

{Moss rush} (Bot.), a rush of the genus {Juncus} ({Juncus squarrosus}).

{Scale moss}. See {Hepatica}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • moss animal — moss′ an imal n. ivt bryozoan 2) • Etymology: 1880–85 …   From formal English to slang

  • moss animal — bryozoan. [1880 85] * * * ▪ invertebrate Introduction also called  bryozoan,         any member of the phylum Bryozoa (also called Polyzoa or Ectoprocta), in which there are about 5,000 extant species. Another 15,000 species are known only from… …   Universalium

  • moss animal — noun sessile aquatic animal forming mossy colonies of small polyps each having a curved or circular ridge bearing tentacles; attach to stones or seaweed and reproduce by budding • Syn: ↑bryozoan, ↑polyzoan, ↑sea mat, ↑sea moss • Hypernyms:… …   Useful english dictionary

  • moss animal — noun a minute sedentary colonial aquatic animal found encrusting rocks or seaweed or forming stalked fronds. [Phylum Bryozoa.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • moss animal — noun Date: 1881 bryozoan …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Moss — (m[o^]s; 115), n. [OE. mos; akin to AS. me[ o]s, D. mos, G. moos, OHG. mos, mios, Icel. mosi, Dan. mos, Sw. mossa, Russ. mokh , L. muscus. Cf. {Muscoid}.] 1. (Bot.) A cryptogamous plant of a cellular structure, with distinct stem and simple… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Moss agate — Moss Moss (m[o^]s; 115), n. [OE. mos; akin to AS. me[ o]s, D. mos, G. moos, OHG. mos, mios, Icel. mosi, Dan. mos, Sw. mossa, Russ. mokh , L. muscus. Cf. {Muscoid}.] 1. (Bot.) A cryptogamous plant of a cellular structure, with distinct stem and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Moss berry — Moss Moss (m[o^]s; 115), n. [OE. mos; akin to AS. me[ o]s, D. mos, G. moos, OHG. mos, mios, Icel. mosi, Dan. mos, Sw. mossa, Russ. mokh , L. muscus. Cf. {Muscoid}.] 1. (Bot.) A cryptogamous plant of a cellular structure, with distinct stem and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Moss campion — Moss Moss (m[o^]s; 115), n. [OE. mos; akin to AS. me[ o]s, D. mos, G. moos, OHG. mos, mios, Icel. mosi, Dan. mos, Sw. mossa, Russ. mokh , L. muscus. Cf. {Muscoid}.] 1. (Bot.) A cryptogamous plant of a cellular structure, with distinct stem and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Moss land — Moss Moss (m[o^]s; 115), n. [OE. mos; akin to AS. me[ o]s, D. mos, G. moos, OHG. mos, mios, Icel. mosi, Dan. mos, Sw. mossa, Russ. mokh , L. muscus. Cf. {Muscoid}.] 1. (Bot.) A cryptogamous plant of a cellular structure, with distinct stem and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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