Monday 29 December 2014

Aloina ambigua at Port Eynon

Sam, I know that I've run this one by you before, but just wanted to be absolutely sure of the id, as to me it is still somewhat ambiguous, suggestion not intended! The site is the Poa bulbosa site in the overspill car park, which is now growing well and is part of a luxuriant, if extremely short, Rabbit-grazed sward. Other bryophyte components noted in the vicinity of the Aloina at SS46768509 included Didymodon fallax, Barbula convoluta var. convoluta, Bryum dichotomum, Brachythecium albicans, Microbryum davallianum var. davallianum, Cratoneuron filicinum & Pseudocrossidium hornschuchianum. Note that the peristome in the image below has been squashed, so is projecting further beyond the capsule mouth than is the case for intact capsules (which typically only show about half of the basal membrane). Spore measurements from ripe dehiscent capsules (n=10) µ=15.4µm are more indicative of ambigua than aloides, so any clarification would be welcome.
approximate extent of colony in the overspill car park
with scattered patches throughout

2 comments:

  1. Excellent. The small spores back up the tall basal membrane and upright capsules to show this is definitely A ambigua. It is bracketted as a historic record in the Census Catalogue so please send a specimen to Tom Blockeel.

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  2. Thanks Sam, I'll send a spec to Tom.

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