Daltonia splachnoides in NPT

Daltonia splachnoides on Willow at edge of Sitka Spruce Plantation, Abercregan

While self-isolating in the Sitka Spruce plantation above the Cregan Valley we were very lucky to come across a willow with several small colonies of Daltonia splachnoides. Ever since Sam told me to look for it in the NPT spruce forests, several years ago, we have kept an eye open for it - there have been many disappointing excursions. Well, at last!

Strangely, although the site has lots of seemingly suitable and similar willows, we were only able to find it on one tree.  It was growing on the north-facing side of the trunk in an epiphytic community with lots of Metzgeria temperata and Orthotrichum pulchellum as well as Hypnum andoi, Radula complanata, Ulota phyllantha, Frullania dilatata, Peltigera membranacea and a Cladonia sp. The site is more open than the Brechfa and St Gwynno Forest habitats where Sam has found it, but this is a very humid environment nevertheless.
This is the first record for NPT, the second for VC41 and (I think) the most southerly in Britain.

Daltonia splachnoides community on Willow, Abercregan