This moss has several different forms and can grow up to 30 cm. Its ovate leaves, which are in two rows, are often pointed at their apex.[3]Leptodictyum riparium has been found in an acidic mining lake and can live at a pH down to 1.6 in volcanic craters. It was once found with Eleocharis acicularis at a Canadian mining lake.[7] It is known to contain high levels of phosphate[8] and is an easy to grow moss that is also used in aquariums. It has been reported that L. riparium tolerates a wide range of nutrient conditions and its population increases as ammonia increases.[9]
Leptodictyum riparium is known to be able to use artificial light to grow in places which are otherwise devoid of natural light, such as Crystal Cave in Wisconsin.[10]
References
^Edwards, Sean R. (2012). English Names for British Bryophytes. British Bryological Society Special Volume. Vol. 5 (4 ed.). Wootton, Northampton: British Bryological Society. ISBN978-0-9561310-2-7. ISSN0268-8034.
^USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Leptodictyum riparium". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 4 February 2016.