Question

Which of the following is not a moss?
A. Ploytrichum
B. Sphagnum
C. Funaria
D. Riccia

Answer 1

Hint: Mosses are a phylum of nonvascular plants. They produce spores for replicas instead of seeds and don’t grow flowers, wood or true roots. Rather than roots, all species of moss have rhizoids.

Complete answer:
Mosses are small flowerless plants growing in shady regions with adequate moisture. These are spore producing plants. Mosses include Sphagnum, Funaria, Polytrichum etc. Sphagnum is usually called bog moss.
Mosses differ from one another within the structure and specialization of their sporangia. The stem-like and leaf-like structures of moss plants constitute the gametophytic generation. Sporophytic generation develops from gametophyte and consists of a raised stalk, or seta. Under favorable conditions, the spores germinate and grow into a branching green thread.
Riccia belongs to class Hepaticae and is a genus of liverworts within the order Marchantiales. The foremost common species is Riccia fluitans, also called slender riccia. These are small and thalloid, that is not differentiated into root, stem and leaf. All species are terrestrial and mostly grow on moist and shady places except Riccia fluitans. They have dorsi-ventrally flattened plant bodies with unicellular rhizoids.
The gametophytic plant body is dichotomously branched. In terrestrial habits, the plants occur in a rosette form due to the presence of a number of dichotomies that grow together from one place. The thallus bears numerous rhizoids which serve the purpose of anchorage to the substratum and absorption of water and nutrients from soil.

Therefore, the correct answer is D, Riccia.

Note: Mosses proves to be an excellent habitat and source of food for insects and other invertebrates. They also play a job in the ecosystem by filtering and retaining water, stabilizing the bottom and removing $C{O_2}$ from the atmosphere.