Moss absorbs water directly through its leaves and can survive long dry spells by shutting down.

The longer version

Mosses lack true roots and the internal plumbing that carries water around larger plants. Instead, their thin leaves draw moisture straight from rain, dew, and humid air across the whole surface, so the plant holds almost no reserve and dries out quickly once surrounding conditions change.

That fragility is balanced by a tolerance for drying out. When water disappears, the moss slows its chemistry to a near standstill, folding and hardening until it looks dead. Returning moisture rehydrates the tissues within hours in many cases, and normal metabolism resumes with little lasting damage to the cells. Repeated rounds of drying and revival are part of the ordinary life of common species.

Where this entry sits

Plants and Trees gathers ordinary and surprising details about how green things live, from the tallest forest giants down to the moss on a garden wall. Expect notes on flowers, seeds, roots, leaves, fungi, and the quiet tricks plants use to spread and survive. The full list sits on the Plants and Trees page, where every entry is listed in order.