Antitrichia curtipendula has dark red stems and green “leaves” that give the overall matt of intertwined steams and roots a rusty yellow looking color.

[1] The stems of Hanging Moss can grow up to 15–30 cm long and are host to a leaf with, upon close examination, three midribs.

Antitrichia curtipendula is native to North America, spanning the western coastline from southern Alaska down to northern California.

Their host plant only provides support and a vantage point at which to reach the nutrients needed to grow.

Unlike Antitrichia curtipendula, this epiphyte will sometimes grow on the ground, climbing upwards with long creeping branches.

As its name implies, the leaf of Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus is characteristically bent and it prefers to grow in open shady areas where persistent moisture is present and other vegetation is minimal, instead of in the forest canopy.

This transitional stage in the life cycle of moss leads to the growth of gametophore which then develops into stems and leaves.

Along with wind, insects and birds play a role in helping the reproduction of epiphytes like the hanging moss.

Also, because these mosses are slow growing, which means to get a structurally sound community in one spot, they need to develop over time.