Saturday 15 October 2016

Anthoceros punctatus in Afan Forest Park

The Afan Portal of the Gyfylchi Tunnel, Afan Forest Park

There's a significant amount of Anthoceros punctatus to the right of the breeze-block-ed tunnel portal and on the right bank (approx. SS81709526). Not many 'horns' yet but the colony should be very photogenic in a week or so. Lots of Pseudephemerum nitidum and Fossombronia wondraczeckii/pusilla here too.

Anthoceros punctatus with a few 'horns'

Anthoceros punctatus  thallus with abundant antheridia and 'horns in progress'


Anthoceros punctatus antheridia (body length c. 120 microns)

Access to this spot has been very difficult in the past, but there has obviously been a deliberate effort to clear the area recently. Given the proposal to convert the Rhondda Tunnel to a cycleway it is possible that similar developments may occur here. It is probably NRW managed land, so some measure of awareness and protection for the colony may be prudent. 

5 comments:

  1. Excellent - I wouldn't have expected it to be present in that kind of habitat.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, you're rockin' at the moment - another great find in what would seem an unlikely spot. I'd like to catch up with that one day...maybe in a couple of weeks?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Only just realised that this is new for Glamorgan, so do make sure you send off a voucher. Super stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes please - I need to see a (small) fertile voucher to log it as nvcr. Maybe the Ty du P carolinianus will be relocated and we'll have the full set of ocerosses for VC41

    ReplyDelete
  5. So, can you tell me where we can get anteridia in punctatus? Thank you before

    ReplyDelete