The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Moss \Moss\ (m[o^]s; 115), n. [OE. mos; akin to AS. me['o]s, D.
   mos, G. moos, OHG. mos, mios, Icel. mosi, Dan. mos, Sw.
   mossa, Russ. mokh', L. muscus. Cf. Muscoid.]
   1. (Bot.) A cryptogamous plant of a cellular structure, with
      distinct stem and simple leaves. The fruit is a small
      capsule usually opening by an apical lid, and so
      discharging the spores. There are many species,
      collectively termed Musci, growing on the earth, on rocks,
      and trunks of trees, etc., and a few in running water.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: The term moss is also popularly applied to many other
         small cryptogamic plants, particularly lichens, species
         of which are called tree moss, rock moss, coral moss,
         etc. Fir moss and club moss are of the genus
         Lycopodium. See Club moss, under Club, and
         Lycopodium.
         [1913 Webster]

   2. A bog; a morass; a place containing peat; as, the mosses
      of the Scottish border.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: Moss is used with participles in the composition of
         words which need no special explanation; as,
         moss-capped, moss-clad, moss-covered, moss-grown, etc.
         [1913 Webster]

   Black moss. See under Black, and Tillandsia.

   Bog moss. See Sphagnum.

   Feather moss, any moss branched in a feathery manner, esp.
      several species of the genus Hypnum.

   Florida moss, Long moss, or Spanish moss. See
      Tillandsia.

   Iceland moss, a lichen. See Iceland Moss.

   Irish moss, a seaweed. See Carrageen.

   Moss agate (Min.), a variety of agate, containing brown,
      black, or green mosslike or dendritic markings, due in
      part to oxide of manganese. Called also Mocha stone.

   Moss animal (Zool.), a bryozoan.

   Moss berry (Bot.), the small cranberry (Vaccinium
      Oxycoccus).

   Moss campion (Bot.), a kind of mosslike catchfly (Silene
      acaulis), with mostly purplish flowers, found on the
      highest mountains of Europe and America, and within the
      Arctic circle.

   Moss land, land produced accumulation of aquatic plants,
      forming peat bogs of more or less consistency, as the
      water is grained off or retained in its pores.

   Moss pink (Bot.), a plant of the genus Phlox (Phlox
      subulata), growing in patches on dry rocky hills in the
      Middle United States, and often cultivated for its
      handsome flowers. --Gray.

   Moss rose (Bot.), a variety of rose having a mosslike
      growth on the stalk and calyx. It is said to be derived
      from the Provence rose.

   Moss rush (Bot.), a rush of the genus Juncus (Juncus
      squarrosus).

   Scale moss. See Hepatica.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Tillandsia \Til*land"si*a\, n. [NL., after Prof. Tillands, of
   Abo, in Finland.] (Bot.)
   An immense genus of epiphytic bromeliaceous plants confined
   to tropical and subtropical America. They usually bear a
   rosette of narrow overlapping basal leaves, which often hold
   a considerable quantity of water. The spicate or paniculate
   flowers have free perianth segments, and are often subtended
   by colored bracts. Also, a plant of this genus.

   Note: Tillandsia usneoides, called Spanish moss, long
         moss, black moss, and Florida moss, has a very
         slender pendulous branching stem, and forms great
         hanging tufts on the branches of trees in the
         Southeastern United States and south to Argentina. It
         is often used for stuffing mattresses
         [1913 Webster + Webster 1913 Suppl.]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Black \Black\ (bl[a^]k), a. [OE. blak, AS. bl[ae]c; akin to
   Icel. blakkr dark, swarthy, Sw. bl[aum]ck ink, Dan. bl[ae]k,
   OHG. blach, LG. & D. blaken to burn with a black smoke. Not
   akin to AS. bl[=a]c, E. bleak pallid. [root]98.]
   1. Destitute of light, or incapable of reflecting it; of the
      color of soot or coal; of the darkest or a very dark
      color, the opposite of white; characterized by such a
      color; as, black cloth; black hair or eyes.
      [1913 Webster]

            O night, with hue so black!           --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. In a less literal sense: Enveloped or shrouded in
      darkness; very dark or gloomy; as, a black night; the
      heavens black with clouds.
      [1913 Webster]

            I spy a black, suspicious, threatening cloud.
                                                  --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Fig.: Dismal, gloomy, or forbidding, like darkness;
      destitute of moral light or goodness; atrociously wicked;
      cruel; mournful; calamitous; horrible. "This day's black
      fate." "Black villainy." "Arise, black vengeance." "Black
      day." "Black despair." --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. Expressing menace, or discontent; threatening; sullen;
      foreboding; as, to regard one with black looks.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: Black is often used in self-explaining compound words;
         as, black-eyed, black-faced, black-haired,
         black-visaged.
         [1913 Webster]

   Black act, the English statute 9 George I, which makes it a
      felony to appear armed in any park or warren, etc., or to
      hunt or steal deer, etc., with the face blackened or
      disguised. Subsequent acts inflicting heavy penalties for
      malicious injuries to cattle and machinery have been
      called black acts.

   Black angel (Zool.), a fish of the West Indies and Florida
      (Holacanthus tricolor), with the head and tail yellow,
      and the middle of the body black.

   Black antimony (Chem.), the black sulphide of antimony,
      Sb2S3, used in pyrotechnics, etc.

   Black bear (Zool.), the common American bear (Ursus
      Americanus).

   Black beast. See B[^e]te noire.

   Black beetle (Zool.), the common large cockroach (Blatta
      orientalis).

   Black bonnet (Zool.), the black-headed bunting (Embriza
      Sch[oe]niclus) of Europe.

   Black canker, a disease in turnips and other crops,
      produced by a species of caterpillar.

   Black cat (Zool.), the fisher, a quadruped of North America
      allied to the sable, but larger. See Fisher.

   Black cattle, any bovine cattle reared for slaughter, in
      distinction from dairy cattle. [Eng.]

   Black cherry. See under Cherry.

   Black cockatoo (Zool.), the palm cockatoo. See Cockatoo.


   Black copper. Same as Melaconite.

   Black currant. (Bot.) See Currant.

   Black diamond. (Min.) See Carbonado.

   Black draught (Med.), a cathartic medicine, composed of
      senna and magnesia.

   Black drop (Med.), vinegar of opium; a narcotic preparation
      consisting essentially of a solution of opium in vinegar.


   Black earth, mold; earth of a dark color. --Woodward.

   Black flag, the flag of a pirate, often bearing in white a
      skull and crossbones; a signal of defiance.

   Black flea (Zool.), a flea beetle (Haltica nemorum)
      injurious to turnips.

   Black flux, a mixture of carbonate of potash and charcoal,
      obtained by deflagrating tartar with half its weight of
      niter. --Brande & C.

   Black Forest [a translation of G. Schwarzwald], a forest in
      Baden and W["u]rtemburg, in Germany; a part of the ancient
      Hercynian forest.

   Black game, or Black grouse. (Zool.) See Blackcock,
      Grouse, and Heath grouse.

   Black grass (Bot.), a grasslike rush of the species Juncus
      Gerardi, growing on salt marshes, and making good hay.

   Black gum (Bot.), an American tree, the tupelo or
      pepperidge. See Tupelo.

   Black Hamburg (grape) (Bot.), a sweet and juicy variety of
      dark purple or "black" grape.

   Black horse (Zool.), a fish of the Mississippi valley
      (Cycleptus elongatus), of the sucker family; the
      Missouri sucker.

   Black lemur (Zool.), the Lemurniger of Madagascar; the
      acoumbo of the natives.

   Black list, a list of persons who are for some reason
      thought deserving of censure or punishment; -- esp. a list
      of persons stigmatized as insolvent or untrustworthy, made
      for the protection of tradesmen or employers. See
      Blacklist, v. t.

   Black manganese (Chem.), the black oxide of manganese,
      MnO2.

   Black Maria, the close wagon in which prisoners are carried
      to or from jail.

   Black martin (Zool.), the chimney swift. See Swift.

   Black moss (Bot.), the common so-called long moss of the
      southern United States. See Tillandsia.

   Black oak. See under Oak.

   Black ocher. See Wad.

   Black pigment, a very fine, light carbonaceous substance,
      or lampblack, prepared chiefly for the manufacture of
      printers' ink. It is obtained by burning common coal tar.


   Black plate, sheet iron before it is tinned. --Knight.

   Black quarter, malignant anthrax with engorgement of a
      shoulder or quarter, etc., as of an ox.

   Black rat (Zool.), one of the species of rats (Mus
      rattus), commonly infesting houses.

   Black rent. See Blackmail, n., 3.

   Black rust, a disease of wheat, in which a black, moist
      matter is deposited in the fissures of the grain.

   Black sheep, one in a family or company who is unlike the
      rest, and makes trouble.

   Black silver. (Min.) See under Silver.

   Black and tan, black mixed or spotted with tan color or
      reddish brown; -- used in describing certain breeds of
      dogs.

   Black tea. See under Tea.

   Black tin (Mining), tin ore (cassiterite), when dressed,
      stamped and washed, ready for smelting. It is in the form
      of a black powder, like fine sand. --Knight.

   Black walnut. See under Walnut.

   Black warrior (Zool.), an American hawk (Buteo Harlani).
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: Dark; murky; pitchy; inky; somber; dusky; gloomy; swart;
        Cimmerian; ebon; atrocious.
        [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

black moss
    n 1: dense festoons of greenish-grey hairlike flexuous strands
         anchored to tree trunks and branches by sparse wiry roots;
         southeastern United States and West Indies to South America
         [syn: Spanish moss, old man's beard, black moss,
         long moss, Tillandsia usneoides]