White Tip, Merthyr Tydfil

I was passing Merthyr's 'White Tip' yesterday and couldn't resist spending an hour and a bit to look for the Riccia beyrichiana found last winter. I managed to find good numbers of plants between SO03590721 & SO03560723, which although past their best were recognisable (photos 2 & 3). To illustrate the community, the following species were all direct associates recorded within a 50cm quadrat: Aphanes arvensis, Archidium alternifolium, Arenaria serpyllifolia agg., Bryum dichotomum, Cephaloziella divaricata, Cladonia rangiformis, Danthonia decumbens, Erophila majuscula, Festuca ovina, Fragaria vesca, Hieracium agg., Hypnum cupressiforme var. lacunosum, Linum catharticum, Lotus corniculatus, Luzula campestris, Peltigera canina, Pilosella officinarum, Plantago lanceolata, Poa annua, Prunella vulgaris, Pseudocrossidium hornschuchianum, Racomitrium ericoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Saxifraga tridactylites, Senecio jacobaea, Streblotrichum convolutum var. convolutum, Taraxacum sp., Thymus polytrichus, Tortella inclinata, Trichodon cylindricus & Trifolium dubium. 

 Additional bryos represented in this odd assemblage, with its muddled mix of calcicoles and calcifuges, included Bryum pallens, Campylium protensum, Didymodon tophaceus, Flexitrichum gracile, Gymnostomum aeruginosum, Lophozia excisa, Pseudocrossidium revolutum (photo 4) & Solenostoma gracillimum. 

However, it was the abundance of Tortella inclinata that was particularly notable at the site (dominant species in photo 1). This is a species that seems to be particularly well adapted to furnace slag (photo 4) and several sites in Glamorgan support huge populations of this Nationally Scarce species. Without question, brownfield sites are a stronghold in our area. It was interesting to see it growing with Racomitrium lanuginosum, both species being locally abundant here.

Brownfield slack surprise

On my way out to Witford yesterday it was spitting and looking very threatening, so I decided to make a pit stop in an area of the old BP works where I'd previously recorded the vascular plants several years back and have been meaning to return to check for bryos. The substrate is pure furnace slag that floods in the winter and consequently supports rather nice dune slack vegetation with elements of the NVC communities SD13-SD14.

The main bryos in the winter-wet areas were Drepanocladus aduncus and Hymenostylium recurvirostrum var. recurvirostrum, with locally frequent Calliergonella cuspidata, D. polygamus, Didymodon tophaceus, Cratoneuron filicinum, Bryum pseudotriquetrum & Fissidens adianthoides. I didn't have long, but in the area I walked over, I estimated the Hymenostylium colony extended to at least 1500m² (centred at SS74069208) being frequent throughout. There are similar areas in this part of the site I didn't look at, so the colony could be even bigger. Hymenostylium is not something I was expecting in this situation, but I read in the atlas that it grows at mine sites in Cornwall, so perhaps isn't too much out of context. Unfortunately, there's an inevitability this area will be redeveloped at some point, such is the nature of brown field land. [I'm pretty busy at present, but I'll add some microscope pics and better macro shots when I get a chance]

In the evening, on the way back through the site, I rechecked the general area where I saw the Tortella inclinata last month and discovered it also forms an extensive colony, being locally dominant in an area at least 40m x 4m. The main part of the colony is on tarmac, where it grows as mono-specific stands (actually discernable on the Google aerials SS73189138). Here the colony appears to be spreading over the tarmac from the edges, presumably extending by trapping wind-blown sand and gritty slag. Off the tarmac, in adjacent areas of coarser gravelly slag, the species grows as clumps in a more diverse mosaic of short dune vegetation.

Other tarmac colonists with burgeoning populations thriving on these abandoned roads, noted whilst driving across the site yesterday, included Drepanocladus aduncus (photo 1 below) and Didymodon ferrugineus (photo 3 below). The Drepanocladus hosted a fungus, which I have a specimen of - I don't know if Charles is able to point me in the right direction, if so I'll try and key it out?

More Tortella torture

dry and wetted vouchers of T. tortuosa  from Port Eynon Point

Recent changes in Tortella taxanomy inspired me to look a bit more critically at a specimen of Tortella tortuosa I collected on the headland at Port Eynon. Whilst I'm sure it is said that species, it took a good while to find any leaves with quadrate superficial cells on the dorsal, upper costa - eventually I did find some but most lacked quadrate cells from leaf-base to tip.

Tortella rename

Tortella fasciculata in its highly contorted dry state.

The Tortella bambergeri I reported back in July here keys out as the suboceanic-submediterranean T. fasciculata following the key by Köckinger & Hedenäs in the most recent JoB. The narrow-leaved appearance of my specimen also fits in line with other British material examined by the authors who indicate the distinction between British and continental material may be genetic, suggesting yet more work may need to be done to fully clarify the status of British material.

Baglan worm farm stop

Last week, following surveys at Baglan Burrows, I stopped to look at the birds feeding at the worm farm and noticed an odd-looking Tortella, which proved to be inclinata. There was 70% cover within a 1m square patch at SS7316291405, though I didn't check elsewhere on this extensive brown field site (formerly part of the BP Baglan land), so it would seem likely the species is more widespread here.

The area supports a diverse flora with numerous dune and calcareous grassland elements which are managed by a healthy rabbit population. Areas of slag substrate with drifts of wind-blown sand support species-rich vegetation including areas with Clinopodium acinos, the main associated bryophytes being Encalypta streptocarpa and Hypnum cupressiforme var. lacunosum.

Industrial interest

I've not seen Tortella bambergeri before, however a specimen I collected from a bank of limestone chippings (location shown above - site n.w. of Merthyr) seems to fit the bill nicely and if confirmed will be an addition to the county list. I've still yet to check it out under the microscope, but it matches photos in the field guide and a few I've found on line, with narrow, broken-tipped leaves with nerves that are matt below (though there is a little bit of shine in some angles, so any opinions welcome).

The habitat is a bit different to the species' described haunts, as was the community it was found in - although Herb-Robert can be seen to be abundant on the bank, the only verge constants were Small Toadflax, Field Forget-me-not and Schistidium crassipilum. Associates included Sticky Groundsel and Wall Lettuce, the latter locally abundant in places across the site.

As I wasn't quite sure what the putative Tortella was when I found it (in fact I suspected it was odd-looking Didymodon sinuosus) I didn't take any reference shots, nor recorded how much there was. However, I do recall there being several scattered patches at the location shown, plus I'm pretty sure I saw it again at a different part of the site. In any case I'll be back, so will see what I can find...

Some images of my voucher, in drying and wetted states:

Aberthaw shingle

A few spare hours on Tuesday took me to the shingle beach at West Aberthaw - the draw being that this tetrad (ST06D) had no previous bryo records despite obvious potential.

Things started well with Scorpiurium circinatum and fruiting Rhynchostegium megapolitanum on a stony bank by the car park, as well as a mystery Bryum sp. (photo below - not sure if this is B. kunzei or another member of the caespiticium group - any comments welcome).

The broad leaf of Rhynchostegium megapolitanum

Scorpiurium circinatum

West of the car park, an area of ruderal vegetation behind the shingle beach was awash with small, fruiting acrocarps, including Microbryum davallianum, M. rectum, Tortula protobryoides and Phascum cuspidatum.

Microbryum rectum

Microbryum davallianum

Microbryum davallianum spores

Tortula protobryoides

Further west still, the back of the shingle beach was quite well vegetated, the bryophytes including Aloina aloides (fruiting), Tortella nitida, lots of Scorpiurium and some more M. rectum.

Tortella nitida on old rope among shingle

This left me a little time to try and add some epiphytes in the north of the tetrad, but these were few and far between - I couldn't even find any Cryphaea. Of more interest was yet more Scorpiurium in Gileston Churchyard and small cushions of Gymnostomum aeruginosum on the mortar of a railway bridge.

Many of the species mentioned above have their Glamorgan headquarters on the South Gower limestones and few records from further east - but this is partly due to the Vale being badly under-recorded. Lots of work to do here!

Wisley Wonderland

During a visit to Wisley Royal Horticultural Society Garden during a pre-Christmas family get-together, we came across a wall constructed from lumps of tufa outside the alpine greenhouses. The range of calcicoles (clearly long-established) was quite impressive and I was surprised to see a few species outside of their normal range, e.g. Preissia quadrata, Tortella tortuosa and Leicolea badensis which I guess will have been introduced with the rock. Several of the more interesting species of these aren't shown on the NBN and Preissia appears to be unrecorded in Surrey. Whilst this is a largely introduced community, those species that are thriving would seem worthy of documenting.