Iceland moss

Iceland moss
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:

  • Iceland moss — Scientific classification Kingdom: Fungi Division: Ascomyco …   Wikipedia

  • Iceland moss — Ice land moss (Bot.) A kind of lichen ({Cetraria Icelandica}) found from the Arctic regions to the North Temperate zone. It furnishes a nutritious jelly and other forms of food, and is used in pulmonary complaints as a demulcent. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Iceland moss — n. an arctic lichen (Cetraria islandica) sometimes used as a food and in folk medicine …   English World dictionary

  • Iceland moss — an edible lichen, Cetraria islandica, of arctic regions, containing a starchlike substance used in medicine. [1795 1805] * * * ▪ lichen       fruticose (branched, bushy) lichen with an upright thallus usually attached in one place. It varies in… …   Universalium

  • Iceland moss — Ice·land moss .ī slən(d) mȯs, .ī .slan(d) n a lichen of the genus Cetraria (C. islandica) of mountainous and arctic regions sometimes used in medicine or as food * * * 1. Cetraria islandica, a lichen native to Iceland. 2. a preparation of the… …   Medical dictionary

  • Iceland moss — (also Iceland lichen) noun a brown branching lichen with stiff spines along the margins of the fronds, which can be boiled to produce an edible jelly. [Cetraria islandica.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • Iceland moss — Ice′land moss′ n. fng pln an edible lichen, Cetraria islandica, of arctic regions • Etymology: 1795–1805 …   From formal English to slang

  • Iceland moss — noun lichen with branched flattened partly erect thallus that grows in mountainous and Arctic regions; used as a medicine or food for humans and livestock; a source of glycerol • Syn: ↑Iceland lichen, ↑Cetraria islandica • Hypernyms: ↑lichen •… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Iceland moss — noun Date: 1805 a lichen (Cetraria islandica) of mountainous and arctic regions sometimes used in medicine or as food …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Iceland moss — /aɪslənd ˈmɒs/ (say uysluhnd mos) noun an edible lichen, Cetraria islandica, of arctic regions, used to some extent in medicine …  

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