Wednesday 2 September 2015

Splachnum in Caerphilly

I've been keeping a casual eye open for cow pat bryos ever since Sam recorded Splachnum ampullaceum and S. sphaericum last winter. So you can imagine my joy when walking over Tair Carreg Moor today and finally encountered some Glamorgan Splachnum on a beautifully weathered cow pat.  In total during my small circuit I noted it on five different, widely scattered cow pats, all colonies being small patches of S. ampullaceum (Cruet Collar-moss). I did the same route two months back and saw nothing, so wonder if the flushes of fresh vegetative growth are a result of the wet August we’ve experienced?

4 comments:

  1. Superb - well done Barry!

    I've been looking at the Blog every evening but have no bryo news to report I'm afraid.

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  2. Give yourself a 'pat on the back'.....sorry had to be done. I will have a small article on adventures with my new thermal imaging camera later in the week.

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  3. Ha ha, nice one Gareth!
    I've been doing little bits and pieces of recording over the summer, but the bryos have very much taken a back seat. I'm very much looking forward to getting back into some square bashing now invert interest is dwindling. I did sneak a 10 minute stop at a lay-by on the A465 today, which was surprisingly productive and took SN90I onto 68 spp. Frullania tamarisci growing on a Field Maple was probably the most interesting species noted.

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  4. Nice one Barry, and excellent photos as always

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