Uskmouth

A lichen survey of the mature Hawthorn scrub surrounding the Nash Reedbeds on the Gwent Levels Wetlands Reserve provided an excellent opportunity to record bryophytes in two under-recorded tetrads - ST38G and ST38L. Both were boosted to >50 species, which is a decent total for the Levels. Recording in ST38L started at Nash Church, where the churchyard supported 48 bryophyte species including Orthotrichum stramineum, Didymodon luridus and Orthotrichum cupulatum, the last of which was new for the Gwent Levels.  Drepanocladus aduncus was abundant in damp, low-lying areas behind the seawall, and a couple of shoots of Scleropodium purum were a surprise under dense Hawthorn scrub.

Highlight of ST38L was an area of Pulverised Fly Ash mounds, which held five species of thallose liverwort - Lunularia cruciata, Marchantia polymorpha ruderalis, Aneura pinguis, Riccardia chamedryfolia and Pellia endiviifolia - alongside frequent Leptobryum pyriforme.  Lime-rich gravel held abundant Bryum sp. with unripe sporophytes and long-excurrent costas - which is probably B. caespiticium but needs a return visit - Hypnum lacunosum and Fissidens dubius, with the Fissidens being new for the Levels.  A quick scramble along the seawall at Goldcliff Point produced 15 moss species in the fragmentary tetrad ST38Q.

I have just 70 tetrads to visit to achieve complete tetrad coverage in VC35, although finishing recording by the end of 2020 seems a little far-fetched.

Festive Foel Fawr

A Christmas Day spin over Mynydd Du to take in a bit of fresh air included a brief stop by the ultra-basic flushes below Clogau Mawr SN725194. Species of interest included Palustriella falcata, which was dominant over large areas, with plenty cushions of Hymenostylium recurvirostrum hosting a range of other species such as Aneura pinguis, Jungermannia atrovirens and Anagallis tenella.

Freezing Fun

Icy Thamnobryum by a stream.

The freezing nights between Christmas and New Year weren't exactly ideal for bryology, but at least we didn't get moss-burying carpets of snow!  I spent a day recording in three tetrads south of Trelech in western Carms - SN22T, SN22X and SN22Y - getting 80+ in the first two and ca70 in the third.  This area is typical of the 'dairy zone', but the valleys have footpaths so give up some of their diversity.

Epiphyte highlights were abundant Frullania tamarisci and Neckera pumila, along with Lejeunea cavifolia.
Lane banks supported Marsupella emarginata in two places and one colony of Bryum sauteri, as well as Cirriphyllum piliferum and Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus.
Didymodon nicholsonii grew in abundance on tarmac and there were a few patches of Syntrichia latifolia in one place.
A wooded flush with abundant Golden Saxifrage was locus classicus for large Aneura cf euromaxima/pellioides.
Fissidens celticus, F. curnovii, Heterocladium heteropterum and Hookeria lucens were present near streams, and one river bank held Epipterygium tozeri. 

The dairy plateaux above were dull as ditch water, and even the valleys were hardly riveting, but another three tetrads have been ticked off leaving just 92 unvisited (by me) in Carms.

Aneura cf euromaxima in a wooded flush. 

A poor photo but showing the typical large size and undulate margins.