I had the most fantastic couple of days walking in the western Cairngorms last week. I tried not to get too distracted by bryos but did make a few records and I have quite a few samples still to go through (hopefully including some
Kiaeria species). There was way too much snow in the north-facing corries to investigate these for snowbed species, and some of the humidity-demanding species were probably under snow too. The richest area proved to be the riverbank at Tromie Bridge. A few highlights below...
Antitrichia curtipendula on a riverbank alder (Glen Tromie)
Aulocomnium androgynum just a few metres away on humus-covered rocks
Hedwigia sp (tbc) again just a few metres away from the above species on riverbank rocks
Ptilium crista-castrensis in open woodland slightly further downstream
Racomitrium lanuginosum heath with
Cladonia uncealis at over 1000m on Carn Ban Mor. I was impressed by the extent of the
Racomitrium heath up there.
And finally, just to give a flavour of how good the walking was...
Ptilium is a species I'm looking forward to bumping into eventually, in Scotland I expect, though I see the southernmost British site is on Graham's turf. Fabulous scenery George.
ReplyDeletePtilium was found by Richard Lansdown in Forest of Dean a few years ago, so I am always hoping for it. I have never seen it in Wales - it's mighty rare in the north.
ReplyDeletelooks a bit like the spot where I was helicoptered off to hospital!
ReplyDelete