Moss Medicine

Moss Medicine is a comprehensive illustrated guide to bryophytes.

It explores more than 600 species of the bryophyte family of plants—mosses, liverworts, and hornworts—in both text and full-colour photos. The book delves into the ways that indigenous peoples around the world have traditionally utilised mosses and other bryophytes for food preservation, clothing, and medicine. It also details scientific research on the potency of bryophyte compounds and terpenoids, highlighting their antiviral, antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-cancer properties.

In this extensive work, master herbalist Robert Dale Rogers unveils the unique healing benefits of bryophytes. These fascinating plants, some of the oldest on our planet, have recently gained recognition from science for their health properties.

Bryophytes, which lack vascular tissue and roots, can be found on all continents and in a wide array of climates. They survive—and even thrive—by absorbing moisture and nutrients straight from the air. Through full-colour photographic examples, Rogers presents over 600 species of bryophytes from the perspectives of ethnobotany, folklore, chemistry, and pharmacology, showcasing their healing applications in homeopathy and aromatherapy.

Rogers further discusses how Indigenous peoples across the globe have used bryophytes for millennia, citing their applications in food preservation, clothing, insulation, and medicine. The book compares the three types of bryophytes with scientific research on the medicinal effects of their chemical compounds, demonstrating that mosses, liverworts, and hornworts can be harnessed in herbal preparations, homeopathic remedies, and essential oils for common ailments.

Additionally, the author explains the environmental benefits of bryophytes, such as carbon sequestration and phyto-remediation of our increasingly polluted planet. He reveals how these ancient plants have supported humanity for eons and continue to do so in today's world.