Checklist of Mosses of the Continental United States and Canada

1638 taxa (1587 species, 15 subspecies, 35 varieties and one form) in 367 genera and 100 families.

Last updated: July 4, 2025.

 

Jump to current inventory  — changes since 2024  —  synonyms and excluded taxa

 

The inventory of mosses occurring in the United States and Canada was compiled and published by William R. Buck and Bernard Goffinet in The Bryologist 127: 484–549, which is available as open access. This was the first update since the checklists published by Anderson et al. and Anderson in 1990. (Anderson, L. E., H. A. Crum & W. R. Buck. 1990. List of the mosses of North America north of Mexico. The Bryologist 93: 448–499; Anderson, L.E.. 1990 A checklist of Sphagnum in North America north of Mexico. The Bryologist 93: 500–501).

The original 2024 inventory lists 1565 species, 12 subspecies, 34 varieties and one form (for a total of 1612 taxa) in 366 genera and 100 families.

This website is aimed at maintaining an updated inventory following the publication by Buck and Goffinet. We invite colleagues reporting new floristic or taxonomic records from the continental United States  and Canada as well as nomenclatural or systematic changes pertaining to the North America moss flora, to contact William Buck or Bernard Goffinet and submit the taxon name, reference and ideally publication associated with the report.

Citation: When citing this online checklist we encourage you to cite the original article: Buck, W.R. & B. Goffinet. 2024. A new checklist of the mosses of the continental United States and Canada. The Bryologist 127: 484–549. Online version available at https://bryology.eeb.uconn.edu/na-moss-checklist/;  last updated xxx.

This page includes the actual inventory followed by the list of synonyms and excluded taxa proposed since the checklist by Anderson et al. (Anderson, L. E., H. A. Crum & W. R. Buck. 1990. List of the mosses of North America north of Mexico. The Bryologist 93: 448–499) and Anderson (Anderson, L.E.. 1990 A checklist of Sphagnum in North America north of Mexico. The Bryologist 93: 500–501).

The original publication of the current checklist includes footnotes with references to the original report or taxonomic and systematic concepts adopted by us.

Spreadsheets with the 1) an alphabetical list of genera, species, subspecies, varieties and forms of mosses from the continental United States and Canada and their familial affiliations, 2) alphabetical list of families of mosses from the continental United States and Canada and their generic inclusions, 3) an alphabetical list of families of mosses from the continental United States and Canada and their ordinal affiliations and 4) alphabetical list of orders of mosses from the continental United States and Canada and their familial inclusions are available as supplementary data associated with the on-line version of the article. The updated excel sheet is available here.

Acknowledgments:  We thank our colleagues for responding to questions and contributing information: Bruce Allen, John Atwood, John Brinda, María Cano, Vladimir Fedosov, Lars Hedenäs, Joe Rohrer, Jon Shaw, Jim Shevock, David Toren, Dale Vitt and Richard Zander. We thank John Brinda and John Atwood for maintaining and developing TROPICOS and  bryonames.org, respectively, as we relied heavily on these sources  for nomenclature and for tracking down references.

We dedicate this checklist to the memory of Howard A. Crum and Lewis E. Anderson on whose shoulders we stand.

We linked all names to their page on bryonames.org which leads to the info on TROPICOS. Please report any issues with links to Bernard Goffinet. Thank you.

Changes since original publication:

We thank Dr. Atwood, Favreau, Karlin, Medina, and Shaw for highlighting necessary changes.

    1. Bartramia rosamrosiae Damayanti, J. Muñoz, J.-P. Frahm & D. Quandt = B. aprica Müll. Hal. See Müller, F. 2014. Bartramia aprica – the correct name for the Mediterranean and western North American species historically recognized as “Bartramia stricta“. Herzogia 27(1): 211–214.
    2. Orthotrichum columbicum Mitt. See Medina, R., F. Lara, B. Goffinet, R. Garilleti & V. Mazimpaka. 2012. Integrative taxonomy successfully resolves the pseudo-cryptic complex of the disjunct epiphytic moss Orthotrichum consimile s.l. (Orthotrichaceae). Taxon 61(6): 1180–1198.
    3. Orthotrichum persimile F. Lara, R. Medina & Garilleti. See Medina, R., F. Lara, B. Goffinet, R. Garilleti & V. Mazimpaka. 2012. Integrative taxonomy successfully resolves the pseudo-cryptic complex of the disjunct epiphytic moss Orthotrichum consimile s.l. (Orthotrichaceae). Taxon 61(6): 1180–1198.
    4. Orthotrichum pilosissimum R. Medina, F. Lara & Garilleti. See Medina, R., F. Lara, V. Mazimpaka, J. R. Shevock & R. Garilleti. 2011. Orthotrichum pilosissimum (Orthotrichaceae), a new moss from arid areas of Nevada with unique axillary hairs. The Bryologist 114(2): 316–324.
    5. Drepanocladus stagnatus Żarnowiec. See Żarnowiec, J. 2001. A Taxonomic Monograph of the Drepanocladus aduncus Group (Bryopsida: Amblystegiaceae). xii + 248 pp. Łódź Technical University, Bielsko-Biała Branch, Bielsko-Biała, Poland.
    6. Fissidens brindae Pursell & B.H. Allen. See Pursell, R. A. & B. H. Allen. 2010. Fissidens chiricahuensis and F. brindae, spp. nov., from the Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, with notes on the Fissidens elegans complex, subgenus Aloma. Tropical Bryology 31: 144–149.
    7. Fissidens chiricahuensis Pursell & B.H. Allen. See Pursell, R. A. & B. H. Allen. 2010. Fissidens chiricahuensis and F. brindae, spp. nov., from the Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, with notes on the Fissidens elegans complex, subgenus Aloma. Tropical Bryology 31: 144–149.
    8. Grimmia milleri Hastings & Greven. See Hastings, R. I. & H. C. Greven. 2007. Grimmia milleri sp. nov. (Grimmiaceae) from northeastern North America and the status of Grimmia afroincurva. The Bryologist 110: 500–505.
    9. Leucobryum juniperoideum (Brid.) Müll. Hal. See Frahm, J.-P. 2011. Leucobryum juniperoideum (Brid.) C. Müll. in North America. Archive for Bryology 84: 1–7.
    10. Orthotrichum lescurii Austin. See Atwood, J. J. & B. H. Allen. 2009. A synopsis of the Orthotrichum strangulatum complex (Orthotrichaceae). The Bryologist 112: 208–220.
    11. Orthotrichum parvulum Mitt. See Atwood, J. J. & B. H. Allen. 2009. A synopsis of the Orthotrichum strangulatum complex (Orthotrichaceae). The Bryologist 112: 208–220.
    12. Orthotrichum scanicum Grönvall. See Szczecińska, M., J. Sawicki, V. Plášek & J. Chmielewski. 2015. New national and regional bryophyte records, 45. 27. Orthotrichum scanicum (United States of America, New York). Journal of Bryology 37(4): 318.
    13. Schistidium crenatum H.H. Blom. See Bloom H.H. 1998. Schistidium Bruch & Schimp. p. 298–330, in Nyholm, E. 1998. Fasc. 4. Aulacomniaceae – Meesiaceae – Catoscopiaceae – Bartramiaceae – Timmiaceae – Encalyptaceae – Grimmiaceae – Ptychomitriaceae – Hedwigiaceae – Orthotrichaceae. Pp. 249–405. In: Illustrated Flora of Nordic Mosses. Nordic Bryological Society, Copenhagen & Lund.
    14. Schistidium recurvum H.H. Blom. See Blom, H. H. 1996. A revision of the Schistidium apocarpum complex in Norway and Sweden. Bryophytorum Bibliotheca 49: 1–333
    15. Schistidium submuticum subsp. arcticum H.H. Blom. See Blom, H. H. 1996. A revision of the Schistidium apocarpum complex in Norway and Sweden. Bryophytorum Bibliotheca 49: 1–333.
    16. Schistidium trichodon var. nutans H.H. Blom. See Blom, H. H. 1996. A revision of the Schistidium apocarpum complex in Norway and Sweden. Bryophytorum Bibliotheca 49: 1–333.
    17. Schistidium viride H.H. Blom & Darigo See Blom, H. H. & C. E. Darigo. 2009. Schistidium viride (Grimmiaceae), a new name for a common but neglected species in eastern North America. The Bryologist 112: 273–277.
    18. Entosthodon convexus (Spruce) Brugués was listed also as Funaria convexa Spruce, of which it is a synonym (Brugués, M. M. (2000). Two nomenclatural changes in Entosthodon. Orsis: organismes i sistemes 15: 115). The name Funaria convexa Spruce is deleted from the checklist.
    19. Sphagnum magellanicum Brid. was included in the previous checklist but recently excluded from the northern hemisphere, which was not explicitly acknowledged in the checklist. See Hassel, K., Kyrkjeeide, M.O., Yousefi, N., Prestø, T., Stenøien, H.K., Shaw, J.A. and Flatberg, K.I. 2018. Sphagnum divinum (sp. nov.) and S. medium Limpr. and their relationship to S. magellanicum Brid. Journal of Bryology 40(3): 197–222.
    20. Sphagnum andersonianum R.E. Andrus was included in the previous checklist (Anderson, L.E.. 1990 A checklist of Sphagnum in North America north of Mexico. The Bryologist 93: 500–501) but is considered conspecific with S. rubellum Wilson. See Anderson, L. E., A. J. Shaw & B. Shaw. 2009. Peat mosses of the southeastern United States. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 102: i–xiii, 1–111. This synonymy of names was not mentioned in our checklist.
    21. Grimmia vaginulata Kellman. See Kellman 2011 [2012]. Grimmia vaginulata, (Bryopsida, Grimmiaceae) a new species from the central coast of California. Madroño 58(3): 190–198.
    22. Hymenostylium gracillimum (Nees & Hornsch.) Köckinger & Jan Kučera. See Boudier (2003). Contribution à la bryoflore du Québec: 1. Gymnostomum boreale Nyholm & Hedenäs (Musci, Pottiaceae), nouveau pour le continent américain. Symbioses, nouvelle série 9: 19–24. (added Jan. 2, 2025)
    23. Roaldia dolomitica (Milde) Hedenäs, Schlesak & D.Quandt. See Shevock, J. R., J. R. Spence & L. R. Stark. 2005. Contributions toward a bryoflora of Nevada: bryophytes new for the Silver State. Madroño 52(1): 66–71. (as Hypnum revolutum (Mitt.) Lindb. var. ravauldii (Boulay) Ando).
    24. Meesia hexasticha (Funck) Bruch. See Favreau, M. & G. R. Brassard. 2011. An analysis of Meesia (Meesiaceae, Musci) in Arctic North America and Greenland. Carnets de Bryologie 1: 2–9.
    25. Schistidium platyphyllum (Mitt.) Perss. subsp. platyphyllum. See Faubert, J., & Gagnon, J. (2016). Le Schistidium platyphyllum (Mitt.) Perss. subsp. platyphyllum (Grimmiaceae, Musci) au Québec. Carnets de Bryologie 14: 1–5.
    26. Sphagnum olafii Flatberg. See Ayotte G. & L. Rochefort. 2021. Sphagnum Mosses of Eastern Canada. Visual Identification Key and Distribution Maps. Editions JFD, Montreal, Canada.
    27. Plagiothecium piliferum (Sw.) Schimp. ≡ Rectithecium piliferum (Sw.) Hedenäs & Huttunen. See Huttunen, S., M. S. Ignatov, D. Quandt & L. Hedenäs. 2013. Phylogenetic position and delimitation of the moss family Plagiotheciaceae in the order Hypnales. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 171(2): 330–353.
    28. Sphagnum venustum Flatberg. See Flatberg, K. I. 2008. Sphagnum venustum (Bryophyta), a noticeable new species in sect. Acutifolia from Labrador, Canada. Lindbergia 33: 2–12.
    29. Pottiopsis sweetii (E.B. Bartram) Ros & O.Werner. See Ros, R. M. & O. Werner. 2007. The circumscription of the genus Pottiopsis (Pottiaceae, Bryophyta) based on morphology and molecular sequence data. Nova Hedwigia Beihefte 131: 65–79.
    30. Leucobryum incurvifolium Müll.Hal. See Peterson, W. L. & A. J. Sharp (1980). Leucobryum incurvifolium in the United States. The Bryologist 83: 370–371) and Allen (1994. Moss Flora of Central America. Part 1. Sphagnaceae–Calymperaceae. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 49: 1–242).
    31. Lewinskya fenestrata (Cardot & Thér.) F. Lara, Garilleti & Goffinet = L. pylaisii F. Lara, Garilleti & Goffinet. See Vitt, D.H. 2017. Resolving two enigmatic distributions in the genus Orthotrichum (Orthotrichaceae): a re-evaluation of Orthotrichum fenestratum and O. sordidum. Bryophyte Diversity and Evolution 39(1): 115–121.
    32. Bryum barnesii J.B.Wood ex Schimp. Although Holyoak (2004) placed this name in synonymy with Bryum dichotomum Hedw., we prefer to follow the more targeted study of Vanderpoorten & Zartman (2002; The Bryum bicolor complex in North America. The Bryologist 105: 128–139).
    33. Schistidium maritimum (Sm. ex R.Scott) Bruch & Schimp. subsp. piliferum (I.Hagen) B.Bremer. See Gbif.org (2025; GBIF occurrence download for Schistidium maritimum subsp. piliferum on 4 July 2025. https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.6yxe67); see Nelson (E. C. 1997. Robert Scott’s Irish mosses, Dicranum scottianum and Grimmia maritima: a note about their publication. Journal of Bryology 19: 503–507.) for the corrected specific authority.
    34. Bartramia subulata Bruch & Schimp. subsp. americana Fransén. See Fransén, S. 2004. A taxonomic revision of extra-Neotropical Bartramia section Vaginella C. Müll. Lindbergia 29: 73–107.

The above taxa (1–34) were added to the checklist by Buck W.R. & B. Goffinet. 2025. Addendum to the new checklist of the mosses of the continental United States and Canada. The Bryologist BRYOLOGIST-D-25-00027 (in review).