Bryum dixonii, commonly known as Dixon's Thread-moss, is a moss

Moss

Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...

 endemic to Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

. The species occupies montane

Montane

In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...

 habitats, and although rare it has a wide distribution including the central and north-west Highlands

Scottish Highlands

The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...

, and the islands of Skye

Skye

Skye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate out from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillin hills...

, Rùm

Rùm

Rùm , a Scottish Gaelic name often anglicised to Rum) is one of the Small Isles of the Inner Hebrides, in the district of Lochaber, Scotland...

 and St Kilda

St Kilda, Scotland

St Kilda is an isolated archipelago west-northwest of North Uist in the North Atlantic Ocean. It contains the westernmost islands of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The largest island is Hirta, whose sea cliffs are the highest in the United Kingdom and three other islands , were also used for...

. Originally discovered on Ben Narnain, Argyll

Argyll

Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...

, in 1898 by H. N. Dixon, it was not seen again until 1964 when found by Ursula Duncan at Juanjorge in Glen Clova in Angus

Angus

Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...

. As of 2000 there was no species action plan for its protection.

See also

• Other endemic Scottish species:
  • Bryoerythrophyllum caledonicum
    Bryoerythrophyllum caledonicum
    Bryoerythrophyllum caledonicum, commonly known as Scottish Beard-moss, is a moss endemic to Scotland. Recognised as a distinct species in 1982, it had been collected occasionally from 1891 onwards under other names. The largest populations are in the Breadalbane mountains including Ben Lawers with...
    
    
  • Pohlia scotica
    Pohlia scotica
    Pohlia scotica, commonly known as Scottish Thread-moss, is a moss endemic to Scotland. The earliest records date to 1964 and this moss was recognised as a distinct species in 1982. The largest populations are in Argyll with smaller populations in Dunbartonshire and Easter Ross. Its favoured habitat...
    
    
• Didymodon mamillosus
  Didymodon mamillosus
  Didymodon mamillosus, commonly known as Perthshire Beard-moss is a species of moss endemic to Europe. It occurs at only five sites including one in Scotland where it isclassified as "Critically Endangered"...
  
  
• Flora of Scotland
  Flora of Scotland
  The flora of Scotland is an assemblage of native plant species including over 1,600 vascular plants, more than 1,500 lichens and nearly 1,000 bryophytes. The total number of vascular species is low by world standard but lichens and bryophytes are abundant and the latter form a population of global...
  
  

External links

• Interactive map of the distribution of Dixon's Thread-moss