Sphagnum quinquefarium in the Sychryd Valley
It is odd that we don't have many records of Sphagnum quinquefarium in Glamorgan, since there are lots of steep Sessile Oak woodlands in the county that look suitable for this ancient woodland species. This site is only just in VC41, being on the Glamorgan side of the Sychryd Valley (SN91580800) and not far from where we saw it in the Mellte Valley a few weeks ago. Some plants were a striking pink colour (see photo) and stood out even for people with compromised colour vision. Nearby, some Marsupella emarginata var. emarginata on a wet, vertical, sandstone outcrop with Saccogyna viticulosa and Lejeunea cavifolia was the only other highlight.
During a quick trip up the Pyrddin Valley to Sgwd Gwladys to photograph Anoectangium aestivans and Breutelia chrysocoma, we recorded Lejeunea patens, L. lamacerina and L. cavifolia in the vicinity of the waterfall. A rotten log there had a mixture of Riccardia palmata, R. multifida and Odontoschisma denudatum.
Anoectangium aestivans, Sgwd Gwladys
Breutelia chrysocoma, Sgwd Gwladys
