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.
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.
2. A bog; a morass; a place containing peat; as, the mosses of the Scottish border.
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.
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 (Zoöl.), a bryozoan. — Moss berry (Bot.), the small cranberry —
Moss campion (Bot.), a kind of mosslike catchfly 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 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 — Scale moss. See Hepatica.
Moss
(Moss), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mossed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Mossing.] To cover or overgrow with
moss.
An oak whose boughs were mossed with age.
Shak. Mossback
(Moss"back`) n. A veteran partisan; one who is so conservative in opinion that he may be
likened to a stone or old tree covered with moss. [Political Slang, U.S.]
Mossbanker
(Moss"bank`er Moss"bunk`er) n. (Zoöl.) The menhaded.
Moss-grown
(Moss"-grown`) a. Overgrown with moss.
Mossiness
(Moss"i*ness) n. The state of being mossy.
Mosstrooper
(Moss"troop`er) n. [Moss + trooper.] One of a class of marauders or bandits that formerly
infested the border country between England and Scotland; — so called in allusion to the mossy or
boggy character of much of the border country.
Mossy
(Moss"y) a. [Compar. Mossier ; superl. Mossiest.]
1. Overgrown with moss; abounding with or edged with moss; as, mossy trees; mossy streams.
Old trees are more mossy far than young.
Bacon. 2. Resembling moss; as, mossy green.
