Uskmouth

A lichen survey of the mature Hawthorn scrub surrounding the Nash Reedbeds on the Gwent Levels Wetlands Reserve provided an excellent opportunity to record bryophytes in two under-recorded tetrads - ST38G and ST38L. Both were boosted to >50 species, which is a decent total for the Levels. Recording in ST38L started at Nash Church, where the churchyard supported 48 bryophyte species including Orthotrichum stramineum, Didymodon luridus and Orthotrichum cupulatum, the last of which was new for the Gwent Levels.  Drepanocladus aduncus was abundant in damp, low-lying areas behind the seawall, and a couple of shoots of Scleropodium purum were a surprise under dense Hawthorn scrub.

Highlight of ST38L was an area of Pulverised Fly Ash mounds, which held five species of thallose liverwort - Lunularia cruciata, Marchantia polymorpha ruderalis, Aneura pinguis, Riccardia chamedryfolia and Pellia endiviifolia - alongside frequent Leptobryum pyriforme.  Lime-rich gravel held abundant Bryum sp. with unripe sporophytes and long-excurrent costas - which is probably B. caespiticium but needs a return visit - Hypnum lacunosum and Fissidens dubius, with the Fissidens being new for the Levels.  A quick scramble along the seawall at Goldcliff Point produced 15 moss species in the fragmentary tetrad ST38Q.

I have just 70 tetrads to visit to achieve complete tetrad coverage in VC35, although finishing recording by the end of 2020 seems a little far-fetched.