Re: NANFA-- Christmas moss unmasked

sorinus (sorin_at_imajis.com)
Fri, 09 Feb 2001 21:26:59 -0500

Splendid,
Fontinalis antypyretica is frequently found in US and Europe especially
in temperate to cold water habitats. The genus name "Fontinalis" comes
from the Latin "Fontana" translated into fountain, which makes one think
that we are dealing with a moss growing on cold stone walls of water
wells, hundreds of years ago. And indeed this was the original meaning
of that moss name… when it was initially described. Antipyretica comes
from another unusual use of this moss. Apparently, it was used as a tea
infusion to treat fever, therefore the name antipyretica. I have sweet
memories about this moss I've seen first time hanging on the inside
walls of a drinking water well in a park somewhere in Europe, where
young lovers used to spend lengthy hours under the moon light (I spent
many hours in that park with my wife..until one day… when I left her on
the bench we used to spend hours talking and kissing, then went to that
water well and started to scrape the moss from the walls. Took it home
and it grew like crazy in my tanks at around 7pH and 20 DGH. Splendid
memories, splendid wife, splendid moss, happy me. My wife is still with
me!

Fontinalis antypiretica is (?) common in US. If I can get a small piece
of that Christmas moss you have (even a one cm long dried piece will be
enough)..then I will be able to identify the species. I will take some
pics under the microscope and post them in my server for everyone's
further use.
Are there any other fully aquatic moss species?

Liebe Klaus danke sehr für Ihren Kommentar. Sprechen Sie mit Ihnen
später.
Bis bald
Sorin Damian

Al G Eaton wrote:
>
> Its a type of fontinalis... I have some I collected in
> a spring run must off the conasauga river... I will
> post a pic and the link to it tomorrow... I think the
> species name in the books is Fontinalis
> antipyretica... not sure if this is the same exact
> species of moss that is native to the usa or not but
> it looks the same as what is in the books. I have it
> growing like crazy at the surface of the water in a 38
> gallon tank with some tricolor and rainbow shiners.
>
> Klaus
> --- sorinus <sorin_at_imajis.com> wrote:
> > RE: Red shinner thread/
> >
> > Sorry about my ignorance, but what is the Christmas
> > moss?
> > Can you tell the scientific name, please? Looks like
> > a native species.
> > I always been interested in aquatic moss (besides
> > the ubiquitous
> > tropical Vesicularia dubyana) and I am wondering if
> > this Christmas moss
> > is a Fontinalis or Amblystegium species.
> > Anyone knows how many native, fully aquatic moss
> > species are in US?
> > Thanks
> > sorin
> >
> >
> /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this
> > list do not necessarily
> > / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American
> > Native Fishes
> > / Association"
> > / This is the discussion list of the North American
> > Native Fishes Association
> > / nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or
> > get help, send the word
> > / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not
> > subject) of an email to
> > / nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version,
> > send the command to
> > / nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
> > / For more information about NANFA, visit our web
> > page, http://www.nanfa.org
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35
> a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
>
> /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
> / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
> / Association"
> / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
> / nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
> / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
> / nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
> / nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
> / For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org

/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association"
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
/ nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org