What Are Some Floras in the Tundra?

Mosses and Lichens

• Arctic moss (Calliergon giganteum) grows in lake beds in the Siberian tundra; it grows as little as a half an inch a year, but its shoots can live for up to nine years and its leaves can live for four years. Sphagnum and Polytrichum mosses can also be found on the tundra. Reindeer moss or lichen (Cladonia rangiferina) is a lichen -- a fungus and an alga that grow together in a symbiotic relationship -- that is an indicator species for the biome. Many tundra lichens are red, as this color is a good absorber of sunlight.

Trees

• Few trees grow in the tundra, and those that do tend to grow only a few inches high and resemble shrubs or carpets. The arctic or rock willow (Salix arctica) grows in tundras in North America and blooms with bright pink or dark brown flowers in the spring. The diamond-leaf willow (Salix pulcha) is another tundra willow that grows fuzzy, caterpillar-like flowers. Alder and spruce trees can also grow on the tundra.

Bushes

• The bearberry or foxberry bush (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is an evergreen bush that can grow in Alaska, Greenland, Iceland and Eurasian tundras. Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum) is a heath that can grow vertically in warmer areas of the tundra or as a carpet in colder latitudes, where it may only grow to be two or three inches tall. Alpine azalea (Loiseleuria procumbens) bushes grow in the mat-like fashion that is characteristic of many tundra plants.

Flowers and Grasses

• Several species of flowering plants grow on the tundra, including pasque flower (Anemone patens), which grows on south-facing slopes, and tufted saxifrage (Saxifraga caespitosa), which stores its nutrients in a complex root system. Sedges, including the genera Carex and Eriophorum, also grow on the tundra. Cottongrass is an indicator species on the tundra and belongs to the latter genus.