The Korotovskoe mire in the National Park «State complex “Zavidovo”» is the only mire massif in the Moscow Region (Russia) where the postglacial relict complex of vascular plants (e.g. Betula humilis, Pedicularis sceptrum-carolinum, Saxifraga hirculus, Trichophorum alpinum) and mosses (e.g. Cinclidium stygium, Drepanocladus trifarius, Hamatocaulis vernicosus, Meesia triquetra, Paludella squarrosa, Scorpidium scorpioides, S. cossonii, Tomentypnum nitens) is maximally saved. This complex is typical for spring fens. We studied the main stages of the mire development during the last 10 000 years using the analysis of macroremains and radiocarbon analysis. It was shown that despite the instability of the water regime on the mire, minerotrophic mosses were found in the most peat layers. This fact confirms the stability of mineral water inflow during the early and middle Holocene. Meesia triquetra and Drepanocladus trifarius live on the mire since the Boreal period. During the Atlantic and Subboreal period (when the mire surface dried out) there was a very slow peat deposition and the mire was covered by trees, together with a decrease in minerotrophic mosses in the vegetation cover. Scorpidium cossonii, Hamatocaulis vernicosus and Drepanocladus sendtnerii emerge during peat deposits in the Subboreal period after the water regime restoration and the returning of swamp conditions. In the last 2000 years, the surface of the mire was covered by Sphagnum mosses. During the meso-oligotrophic stage of the mire development, mosses demanding a rich mineralisation remained in other parts of the mire, where conditions of rich mineral nutrition lasted longer. Limiting factors of this moss complex during the early and middle Holocene were light and level of mire waters, whereas, in the late Holocene, it was oligotrophisation of the upper peat layers because of a rapid deposition of organic matter. The complex of relict minerotrophic mosses currently existing on mires in the centre of European Russia can be considered as relicts of the glacial time, and, at the same time, as relicts of spring fens, which were more widespread in the early and middle Holocene and gradually having lost their importance as a result of autogenic succession. The obtained data indicate the great nature conservation value of the Korotovskoe mire massif.

Seven moss genera are revealed in Eocene amber from Rovno (Ukraine). Some species are similar to those from Baltic amber (Hypnodontopsis mexicana, H. piliferum, Ctenidium capillifolium, Tristichella glabrescens), while others can be referred to Sematophyllites from Baltic amber, but not identical to any of the described species of this genus. Neckerites gen. nov. is described to accommodate plants very similar to the modern Neckeraceae, although even the genus cannot be indicated for sure. Palamocladium fossile sp. nov. and Isopterygiopsis minutirameum represent new genera to Eocenic amber flora. One moss fragment with short and broad leaves is left unnamed, as its diagnostic characters are too poorly seen.

Recently collected specimens of poorly known Siberian taxa of Plagiotheciaceae were studied for DNA sequence data, nuclear ITS1-2 and chloroplastic trnL-F, and morphology. This study has revealed that Bardunovia baicalensis and Myurella acuminata belong to one species which is better to classify in the genus Platydictya, as P. acuminata (Lindb. & Arnell) Ignatov, comb. nov. The Yakutian plants of Platydictya jungermannioides are also discussed and illustrated.

A collection of Lower Cretaceous mosses from the Khasurty, Transbaikalia, South Siberia includes numerous compressions of the moss Bryokhutuliinia obtusifolia sp. n., and also specimens referred to Palaeodichelyma sinitzae and Tricostium longifolium sp. n. Preservation allows clear views of leaf areolation in these species. Three more species with strong costae are likely acrocarpous, but due to an unclear view of the cell structure they are described as Muscites sp. 1, sp. 2 and sp. 3.

The branch primordia in Fontinalis, Dichelyma and Brachelyma are studied. The most common pattern in the family is that the outermost branch leaf is in ‘eleven o’clock position’, due to a reduction of the first branch leaf that starts to develop in ‘four o’clock position’. Strong elongation of the stem and an extensive displacement of the branch primodium far from the leaf axil are probably the main factors of this reduction. However, in some species of Fontinalis the first branch merophyte produces lamina, either single or compound; at the same time, in F. hypnoides both the first and second branch leaves are reduced, so the outermost leaf is in ‘twelve o’clock position’. The branch ‘foot’ formed of the bases of proximal branch leaves is discussed.