Friday 14 December 2018

Cephaloziella integerrima in Crofty...

stacked image in natural light of perianths
stacked image in natural light of gemmiferous shoots
stacked image in natural light of older perianths
1' high tump with patches of C. integerrima
1' high post hole tumps with patches of fruiting C. integerrima
another line of tumps behind the bund also hold patches
...well, I think so! A brief stop today to look at some semi-interesting flora growing on a few spoil tumps in the middle of an abandoned building plot revealed a good quantity of a richly fertile Cephaloziella. With angular gemmae, edentate lobed perianth bracts that are connate, I'm pretty confident this must be integerrima, a potential first for Wales. If confirmed I'll need to determine how extensive the population is. I have a feeling building works were stopped ~6 years ago, as the developer did not have planning permission. This is a highly vulnerable population, but best we get the id confirmed first before looking at safeguarding the species at this site. There is no referee listed for this genus in the latest FB, so Sam, I wonder if you can suggest someone who would be willing to examine a voucher, yourself perhaps? [I called in very briefly again the following day and noted integerrima to be present on a few additional tumps, the mounds being the ground excavated for a series of post holes about 10 years ago!].
phone pic of abundant perianths
 

The list of direct associates noted so far includes:
Anthoxanthum odoratum
Archidium alternifolium
Brachytheciastrum velutinum
Bryum dichotomum
Calliergonella cuspidata
Cephaloziella divaricata (photo of female perianth below, male plants also present)
Ceratodon purpureus
Cladonia chlorophaea agg.
Cladonia furcata subsp. furcata
Cladonia cf. ramulosa
Cladonia rangiformis
Cynosurus cristatus
Didymodon fallax
Festuca ovina
Fossombronia sp.
Lotus corniculatus
Pilosella officinarum
Plantago coronopus
Plantago lanceolata
Pleuridium cf. acuminatum
Poa trivialis
Trifolium dubium
Trifolium repens
C. divaricata

4 comments:

  1. Des Callaghan says 'This is unmistakable integerrima' which is good enough for me. Wonder what else might be there?

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  2. I was going to suggest you sent it to Des, but if that's what he reckons then it's best sent straight to Nick Hodgetts as BBS Liverwort Recorder. What an outstanding find!!!

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  3. Remarkable and very significant record.

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