Miscellaneous

While on a trip to Banwen and Onllwyn a few days ago, principally to check out some old meadows in the vicinity of the washery, H and I took a brief stroll along the path that bisects Gors Llwyn SSSI. Sam and others have recorded some nice wetland bryophytes here, including Hamatocaulis vernicosus, Kurzia pauciflora and Nardia geoscyphus. A good part of the SSSI is in Glamorgan (in NPT in fact), so it adds some significant species to the county list, and once upon a time there was a population of Trollius europaeus here. Carex elata, in one of its few inland sites in Glamorgan, is within easy reach of the path, just inside the county boundary, as is a nice photogenic colony of  Plagiomnium elatum along with Straminergon stramineum.

Plagiomnium elatum, Gors Llwyn

Straminergon stramineum, Gors Llwyn

The old meadows near the washery are of significant interest. One holds small populations of Epipactis palustris and Samolus valerandi, both increasingly rare in wetlands away from the coast in South Wales. Next door (and opposite Gors Llwyn) there is a superb swampy habitat with huge amounts of Bogbean, Marsh Cinquefoil and Water Horsetail and other M27 species. 

Yesterday, after reading George's account of Sam's Kenfig course, followed by a quick phone call to Barry, we went on an Amblyodon and Moerckia twitch. We spent most of the afternoon on our hands and knees with reading glasses on, occasionally loosing the will to live while searching for Moerckia! But success...thanks boys.

Amblyodon dealbatus, Kenfig

Moerckia flotoviana, Kenfig