Well, on the stump of a pole.
Dicranum montanum was a long overdue 'lifer' for me and it was reassuringly distinct enough in the field (photo above) to immediately suspect it as being a good a candidate for
montanum, though I only got round to checking my voucher last night. It would appear to be genuinely scarce in Glamorgan, this being the first record since 2005, when it was recorded at Pencoedtre by an unnamed 'EcoTech' surveyor/subcontractor. The only other 21st Cent. record was made by Sam in 2002 at Blackmill SSSI. Given the unspectacularness of the habitat for this record (a weathered telegraph pole at a coal mine washery), there is possibility it occurs more widely. The very sprawly-curly leaves of dry plants impart a distinctiveness quite different from the potentially confusing
Dicranoweisia cirrata.
Interesting, and seeing your photos I'm hopeful that I wouldn't have overlooked it as D. cirrata. Certainly one to keep an eye out for...
ReplyDeleteGreat record for NPT Barry.
ReplyDeleteHardly ever seen it - strangely I think the only time I saw it in Carms was in the wet mountainous north of the county and I think I have only seen it once in Brecks. Martha N recorded it at a few locations in the Waterfalls area back in the early 1990s, but I can't recall seeing it there myself - maybe it has declined there due to changes in air quality?
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