Moss or Fern?

Our ignorance of both ferns and mosses is nearly complete.  Moss covered stones widely litter spots that they find suitable for growth across our acres.  We have been moving some to our developing shade garden intending for them to clearly mark what is path from what is growing ground.  Nearly every recent trip across out acres has us looking for suitable stones.  In only one area of our woods does this tufted moss grow.  It is far different from our other mosses because of its bright green spheres growing some distance above the ground.  Yesterday marked my need to move five of these plants into the recently filled planting island.  In time they may grow together from path to path.

A closeup of this transplant reveals each hairless stalk sporting spherical growth at its tip.  Most people commonly picture moss as a flat close to the ground plant of no distinction.  We wondered if this plant might be a fern.  Each uprooted clump sported roots that penetrated into the soil much in the manner of ferns.  Mosses frequently cement themselves to some favorable rock while displaying little resembling roots.

This plant is undisturbed growing as it has into the forest soil.  Two more typical mosses can be seen on the right edge of the photo.  We wanted to know more and purchased a copy of Common Mosses Of The Northeast And Appalachians.  Its three hundred ninety two pages quickly revealed to us that we were in way over our heads.  An early statement in the book pointed out the absolute need to purchase a microscope if one is serious about learning mosses.  No microscope exists here but we have a tentative identification of our moss.  Juniper Haircap Moss may be its name.  Perhaps I am not alone in seeing some contradiction in the scholarly technical description using the word haircap in a proper name.

This picture of the forest floor in the general area where our treasure was found shows both ferns and mosses growing close by each other.  I may be nearly alone but I find this scene peacefully beautiful.