It is characterized by its tinybifidleaves in which each segment is only a few cellswide, conspicuous rhizomous shoots, and long leafless stolon shoots which facilitate the colonization of bare areas. A very unusual feature is the lack of male plants within the species, which are thought to have become extinct during an ice age. Takakia lepidozioides have been found to be a highly adaptive moss. Over the past65million years, there have been extremechanges in the climate, however, several molecular adaptations have been observed in this species.