Leucobryum albidum
{{Short description|Species of plant}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Leucobryum ku-ring-gai 1.jpg
| image_caption =
| genus = Leucobryum
| species = albidum
| authority = (Brid. ex P.Beauv.) Lindb.
| synonyms_ref =
| synonyms =
}}
Leucobryum albidum (common name pincushion moss) is a species of moss with a wide distribution in the northern and southern hemispheres. This plant first appeared in scientific literature as Dicranum albidum in 1805 published by the French naturalist Palisot de Beauvois.{{cite web |title=White Moss - Leucobryum albidum|work=I Naturalist|url=https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/164650-Leucobryum-albidum|accessdate=2019-06-13}}{{cite web |title=Leucobryum albidum|work=Atlas of Florida Plants|url=http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=4585|accessdate=2019-06-13}}{{cite web |title=Leucobryum albidum|work=eFloras - Flora of North America|url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250075534|accessdate=2019-06-13}}{{cite web |title=Leucobryum albidum|work=Coniferous Forest Bryophytes|url=https://www.esf.edu/efb/kimmerer/mossecology/coniferousforest.htm|accessdate=2019-06-13}}
Distribution and habitat
Pincushion moss is native to and prolific in the Eastern and Midwestern United States, including the states of Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington D.C., Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.{{Cite web|title=Leucobryum albidum - FNA|url=http://floranorthamerica.org/Leucobryum_albidum|access-date=2021-07-09|website=floranorthamerica.org}}
Elsewhere in North America, it can be found less commonly in Ontario, Canada{{Cite web|title=NatureServe Explorer 2.0|url=https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.127488/Leucobryum_albidum|access-date=2021-07-09|website=explorer.natureserve.org}} and is most commonly Southeast of the United States in areas such as Mexico (Tamaulipas), West Indies, Bermuda, Central America. It is also common through Europe into Asia.{{Cite web|title=Coniferous Forest Bryophytes|url=https://www.esf.edu/efb/kimmerer/mossecology/coniferousforest.htm|access-date=2021-07-09|website=www.esf.edu}}