Mosses are primitive plants that form a green carpet on the forest floor. They belong to a group of plants called bryophytes that lack true roots. Instead, they have rhizoids that serve as a holdfast for the plant. Instead of flowers, fruits, or seeds, they have spores for reproducing and also spread vegetatively. They grow in shady, moist soil and are dependent on water to make food and for fertilization. When they are dry, they fold their leaves or curl them up to prevent evaporation of water.

Peat moss is probably one of the most popular mosses and is often used by gardeners to wrap the roots of plants to keep them moist until they can be planted. It is also antiseptic and absorbs water and was used for bandages during WWI. Mosses can also be a source of water in a survival situation and for filtration. They are waterproof and can be used to cover a shelter and for erosion control. Mosses are healing in that they can calm your spirit and provide a soft mat to walk across, massaging the feet in the process.