Moss or Fern

[defaced]

What does it look like to you? I've read here that if it has indifidual finger thingys (you can tell this is my area of expertise) then it's technically a fern. Well I see finger thingys and I'd like to ID this little bugger, but need a good starting place. If you happen to know genera or family for ferns/moss in general or even this specific type of moss/fern then that'd be of help.
Warning: huge picture, 1.5meg

[Grassypeak]

I’ll bet you it’s a moss. The ferns that I am familiar with almost always grow form a rhizome and don’t form dense mats. At least I haven’t seen any that do. Also, there are many mosses which have fern like fronds (for want of a better word).

[bluedart]

Originally Posted by Grassypeak

I’ll bet you it’s a moss. The ferns that I am familiar with almost always grow form a rhizome and don’t form dense mats. At least I haven’t seen any that do. Also, there are many mosses which have fern like fronds (for want of a better word).

On some mountain trail rides in the Blue Ridge Mountains I've seen some peculiar ferns grow in little patches like that. I think some "fronds" will eventually take over the others though. I dunno, the extremities look quite mature for it to be a 'fern mat'. Looks like a fern, maybe. Some Selaginella grows in that manner.

[defaced]

Fronds, that was the word I was reaching for. Thank you. More opnions welcome though.

Is the picture upside down?

I think its a moss. I've collected similar stuff, which hasnt turned out to be ferns.

[defaced]

No, it's scanned in on my scanner. I don't have a camera that could get that kind of detail. I had to flatten it to get a good scan though. That's why the center looks smashed down.

[Vnnie]

That's neither a moss nor a fern! It's a leafy liverwort. Leafy liverworts are in Division Hepatophyta, subclass Jungermaniales. Division Hepatophyta is sister to Division Bryophyta (mosses). That's probably more info than you wanted. Technically it's not a moss but for practical purposes you can treat it like a moss.

[defaced]

No, that's exactly the info I wanted. Now I can do research on it and see how best to propigate it because I like it better than any moss I've seen but it doesn't seem to spread too quickly. Thank you so much.

[defaced]

Nope, it's a moss. Though without your info I would have never found it on my own. It a Fissidens sp. From what pictures I've found it's either Fissidens taxifolius, or Fissidens cristatus. Fissidens taxifolius, Fissidens cristatus

The color is like Cristatus, but the size/density of the fronds (if it's correct to call them that) is of Taxifolius.

Sweet , I honestly didn't think I'd actually find out what this was without going to my university's botony department.

Here's the site that got me really going. Yes, I actually googled every specis in the liverwort and started on the mosses to find what this was.

[RussS]

So let us know how it does in your tank. If it does really well, we'll want to trade for it once Corey's plant site comes up.