The Bryopsida can be simplified into three groups: the acrocarpous (pinnate), the pleurocarpous (side-fruited), and the cladocarpous (branching) mosses.

Although acrocarps, pleurocarps, and cladocarps generally have different branching habits, it is the morphology of the perichaetia which defines the groups.

[4] Among the Bryopsida, the structure of the capsule (sporangium) and its pattern of development is very useful both for classifying and for identifying moss families.

Most Bryopsida produce a capsule with a lid (the operculum) which falls off when the spores inside are mature and thus ready to be dispersed.

A peristome is a ring of triangular "teeth" formed from the remnants of specially thickened cell walls.

[2][6][7] Oedipodiopsida Tetraphidopsida Polytrichopsida Buxbaumiidae Diphysciidae Gigaspermidae Funariidae Timmiidae Dicranidae Bryanae (paraphyletic) Hypnanae A detailed phylogeny to the level of order, based on the work by Novíkov & Barabaš-Krasni 2015; Cole, Hilger & Goffinet 2021; Fedosov et al. 2016; Ignatov, Fedosov & Fedorova 2016; Bechteler et al.

[9][10][11][12][13] Buxbaumiales Diphysciales Gigaspermales Disceliales Encalyptales Funariales Timmiales Catoscopiales Distichiales Scouleriales Bryoxiphiales Grimmiales Archidiales Pleurophascales Eustichiales Amphidiales Dicranales Rhabdoweisiales Sorapillales Bruchiales Erpodiales Ditrichales Pottiales Hedwigiales Splachnales Bartramiales Bryales Rhizogoniales Orthotrichales Orthodontiales Aulacomniales Hypnodendrales Calomniales Ptychomniales Hypopterygiales Hookeriales Hypnales Unassigned Dicranidae: