Heath Park, Cardiff

An hour spent poking about in Heath Park, in an attempt to top up the species list for tetrad ST17U, produced little of interest until I looked at the muddy pond at ST176798. A mud-filled crevice on top of a log at the pond margin revealed a nice patch of Aphanorrhegma patens.

Aphanorrhegma patens site

On Sunday morning I popped up to the site in ST1185 where Julian found the Aphanorrhegma patens. Sure enough it was widespread across the wetter, barer patches in the field shown in the photo below, along with abundant Riccia sorocarpa.

Various Persicaria were abundant and quite confusing. I could certainly see some plants of Small Water-pepper (P. minor)  among the commoner species, but was unsure about Tasteless Water-pepper (P. mitis). Julian and Tim Rich think they have some good candidate material for the latter from this same field, but it requires confirmation.

Tiny moss query

I attended the Glamorgan Botany Group excursion to Gwaelod-y-garth on Sunday, but had to leave at lunchtime. I therefore missed the best finds of the day, both Persicaria minor and mitis found growing by a seasonal pool near the Taff in the afternoon.


Julian Woodman brought back a clod of earth from the same area as he had noticed a crystalwort growing in abundance. This proved to be Riccia sorocarpa, but the clod also contained plants of Trichodon cylindricus, Tortula truncata and a tiny, fruiting moss which I can't work out - see photo below (the Riccia gives an idea of how small it is). The leaves are strongly toothed and translucent. The round, brownish capsules are on very short setae.

I'll get some microscope photos if it's not possible to work out the species from the above. Thanks.