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Saturday 2 April 2016

Anomodon viticulosus in Resolven

I associate Anomodon viticulosus with limestone, although it is known to grow occasionally on base rich sandstones. It is fairly local in VC41 and it's one of those fairly strict calcicoles that I would not expect to find in the heart of the South Wales Coalfield in NPT -  but I will understand it if you are not as excited about this as me! Anyway, yesterday H and I did some recording on the Afan Nedd and we came across it on a shaded railway bridge over the river near Resolven, quite a disjunct location in a South Wales context, particularly since it rarely produces sporophytes.

Anomodon viticulosus on railway bridge near Resolven

The riparian habitat hereabouts has a nice flora. It supports a large population of Saxifraga granulata and is the most southerly location for Crepis paludosa in the British Flora. Along the river corridor Wych Elms (and  some Small-leaved Lime) provide the canopy for a diverse woodland flora with some conspicuous bryophytes such as Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, R. loreus and sparkling patches of Cirriphyllum piliferum, an uncommon moss in NPT. 

Cirriphyllum piliferum, Resolven

Homalia trichomanoides is abundant on the boles of riverside trees, Mnium stellare is frequent on riverside banks and the silty flood zone has a significant amount of Mnium marginatum; a much larger population than I had previously thought.

 Minim marginatum var. marginatum, Resolven
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4 comments:

  1. Barry Stewart3 April 2016 at 07:41

    Very nice Charles. I know this is one you've been hoping to find In NPT - mission accomplished, plus it is a rather attractive species.

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  2. GSM3 April 2016 at 08:18

    One of my favourite mosses.. We are a bit fortunate in south Brecks as it turns up regularly on the Old Red Sandstone and where it abundant it often finds its way on to base of ash trees. Worth having a close look at the larger sheets of the moss as I find it often fruits in well shaded localities

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  3. sambbryo3 April 2016 at 19:31

    I spent part of today taking 8-fig Grid Refs of the small number of Anomodon colonies on Ash boles in the Penhow Woodlands NNR. It's something of an axiophyte, albeit one that can occur in great abundance in suitable limestone sites (eg in parts of the Wye Valley).

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  4. GMT3 April 2016 at 20:23

    Interesting that the Mnium was fruiting - I've yet to see it fruiting along the Taff and Ely in Cardiff, despite it being reasonably frequent in the right habitat.

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