Thursday 27 November 2014

Fewer than 100 to do!

I did one tetrad in central Carms (SN52S) yesterday and one in NW Carms (SN12Y), taking the total number of Carms tetrads that I have never visited to 99 (out of a total of 678).  Both scored ca. 80 species, thanks to a combination of bridges over streams/rivers in wooded valleys with steep lane banks.  One species united them - Hygrohypnum luridum on bridge walls.  This is mighty uncommon in Carms and is always a surprise find away from the upland calcareous rocks, whereas it is pretty frequent in much of lowland Britain.



Other stuff of vague interest included abundantly fruiting Metzgeria furcata on an Ash trunk, and some Ctenidium molluscum on a rather base-poor bank with Kindbergia.  Is the latter the mysterious 'var. sylvaticum', characterised by "branch tips strongly hooked, branches stout, not crowded" or just var. molluscum growing in an odd place?  It looks rather different to limestone grassland var. molluscum.  Perhaps it is var. condensatum "robust, with hooked branch tips; stems creeping, pinnately branched" but that is usually found on upland crags.  I find Ctenidium very confusing!

 

1 comment:

  1. That's a mightily impressive milestone Sam. The finishing line is out there somewhere!

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