The
Fissidens I referred to in yesterday's post keys out as
curvatus, which would be another new vice country record if confirmed. It's pretty convincing to my eye, the only issue I see is that the cells don't seem strongly papillose as Smith suggests they should be. However, the main features of tiny size, tapering leaves with elongated cells (twice as long as wide) are evident in the images below.
The habitat is soil gaps on a grassy bank on the east side of the footpath, approximately 5m north the rock with Pterigonium shown below at SS4169590597. The main associates were Trichostomum brachydontium, Weissia controversa var. controversa and Amblystegium serpens.
It looks bang on to me Barry.
ReplyDeleteThat certainly looks good for Fissidens algarvicus, which would be an outstandingly nice record of a Welsh S42 species. It makes biogeographical sense on the Med-Atl end of Gower as well. The species has gone from its 1980s Pembs site (or I couldn't find it anyway) and also seems to have vanished where I first found it in Carms (Dryslwyn Castle). Most other Welsh records are pretty old as well, though I suspect this is rather a transient species. Well done!
ReplyDeletePS I think it's meant to be mamillose, not papillose, and some of the out of focus cells in your close-up give the impression of being swollen.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sam, I'll send you the voucher for this too.
ReplyDeleteGower is certainly coming up trumps at the moment. It's brilliant that you're still turning up new things on the peninsula despite all the work you've already done there.
ReplyDeleteI guess like most taxonomic groups, bryophytes are dynamic so we should expect the unexpected every now and then.
ReplyDelete