Germinating moss spores, forming the protonema from which the next generation of gametophytes (leafy plants) arises. The leafy plant is the haploid gametophyte, bearing male and female sex organs at the apex. The diploid sporophyte is the seta (stalk) and capsule which grow attached to the gametophyte after fertilization. The young capsule is covered by a papery calyptra. The mature capsule opens at its tip by a peristome to shed spores. Moss species are important markers fof habitat types. Most of the bryophytes included here are distributed throughout Britain and Europe. Many of the genera, if not the species, have worldwide distribution.