In a square inch or so of moss just outside my back door...

...I always find more than one species.

This sample is from one step outside my door on our back terrace.

As I get to know the names (sometimes I remember the Latin name, sometimes the English one), I'm trying to name them in situ rather than having to magnify and peer at their characteristics in order to know which they are. In this clump I know there is Pointed Spear Moss (Calliergonella cuspidata), but there is a paler moss too that I can't name without closer inspection.

You can see the spear points in this pic
(click on it to enlarge it if you like)

Near the centre of this pic is the pale moss. You can see it is not the same colour as the Pointed Spear to the left of it and its overall appearance is different. After close inspection and much muddlement because trampled on examples are not the same as untrampled, I think it is Fountain Apple-moss (Philonotis fontana). Fortunately there is an untrampled example of that moss elsewhere at the Boggy Brae.

The photo to the right was taken in late May and shows the male inflorescence of Philonotis fontana. If you look closely you'll see Pointed Spear-moss in there too and one of the Haircap (Polytrichum) mosses—the one with the very sharp-looking leaves.

Moving the aim of my camera lens just a little, I spot a third moss: Springy Turf Moss (Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus), of which there is masses at BB. It and Heath Bedstraw make up much of our upper lawn. The red stem and star-like shoot tip make it easily recognisable. I remember both Latin and English names of this and the spear moss above.

Calliergonella cuspidata and Philonotis fontana

Pointed Spear Moss and Fountain Apple moss in situ, growing on gravel that is full of soil washed down the hill over many years.