Saturday 15 November 2014

Henrhyd, Mynydd-y-Gwair

The small gulley marks the Glamorgan-Carmarthenshire boundary (see
green line below), with Mynydd-y-Bettws windfarm on the Carms side
This afternoon I spent a good 1½ hours around 320m asl in the little bit of SN61Q that is part of Glamorgan (yellow area above), which proved more fruitful than I was expecting due to a good chunk being base-rich. My highlight was a 60m2 patch of Philonotis calcarea (the red patch), the most prominent associates including Palustriella falcata¸ Anagallis tenella and Campylium stellatum. Also there were some lovely wefts of Archidium alternifolium on the adjacent heath growing along with species such as Scorpidium revolvens, Scapania irrigua, Riccardia chamedryfolia, Aneura pinguis and Didymodon fallax.
Philonotis calcarea
Scorpidium revolvens
Archidium alternifolium

3 comments:

  1. Philonotis calcarea is an excellent find - well done! As far as I can see there's a little cluster of records from NE Glam, plus yours from W Gower.

    It's amazing that we've got some real momentum going with Bryo recording in Glamorgan.

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  2. P. calcarea also recorded from Melincwrt Valley (SN8300: C and HH, 2012) where it grows in a wet flush (with Palustriella commutata according to my records), and also Cefn Gwrhyd (SN7208: BS, 2012). Both records in MM. It is a very attractive moss.

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  3. The visit took totals for the squares to 60 spp in SN61Q and 62 spp in SN60U, though there must be a lot more to see in SN60U

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