Dulais Valley at Coynant

A rain-soaked walk through flushed pasture at SN650069 yesterday returned a modest selection of species of local interest including Aneura pinguis, Aulacomnium palustre, Brachythecium rivulare, Bryum pseudotriquetrum, Philonotis fontana, Riccardia chamedryfolia, Sarmentypnum exannulatum, Scapania irrigua, S. undulata, Sphagnum denticulatum, inundatum, squarrosum, subnitens (photo below) & Straminergon stramineum.

Deep mounds of Nardia compressa (photo above) were abundant in the adjacent river and species of interest along the banks included Dichodontium palustre (photo above), Dicranella rufescens, Ditrichum heteromallum (photo above) & Entosthodon obtusus (photos below).

Note the bordered leaf margins, which rules out all other Entosthodon species with erect capsules.

Cwm Cathan

Typical valley profile

Yesterday I walked an 800m section the Afon Cathan which runs along the Carms/Glam border. My aim was to do SN60P and I managed 65 species in the square, with and extra 16 species just outside. Given the amazing abundance of Hookeria and Hylocomium, I thought this ancient woodland would have produced a bit more variety than it did, however, the valley is not particularly incised, nor are there any real boulders or cliffs to speak of, plus it is very acidic. In contrast to Sam’s incredible list from Snowdonia, the most interesting species logged here included Brachytheciastrum velutinum, Dichodontium palustre (VC44), Fissidens bryoides var. caespitans, Lejeunea cavifolia, Nardia compressa, Orthotrichum stramineum, Pellia neesiana (VC44) & Saccogyna viticulosa. Some early flying Philopotamus montanus provided a nice diversion.

...about as wild and rocky as things got.

Above left Philopotamus montanus, right a few localised mounds of Pellia neesiana on the vc44 side

Hookeria lucens abundant

Nardia compressa

Craig y Llyn

A few extra photos from our visit to the cliffs above Llayn Fach on the 10th October, a short account of which appears HERE.

Blindia acuta (Sharp-leaved Blindia)

Fissidens osmundoides (Purple-stalked Pocket-moss)

Marsupella emarginata var. emarginata (Notched Rustwort)

Marsupella emarginata var. aquatica (Robust Rustwort)

Nardia compressa (Compressed Flapwort)

Scapania gracilis (Western Earwort)