Zygodon rupestris

The two common Zygodons, viridissimus (var. viridissimus) and conoideus are widespread and fairly common in VC41. Roy Perry described Zygodon viridissimus as a frequent epiphyte in the county (in NPT it is also found frequently on stone). In contrast Roy described Z. conoideus as rare, but probably overlooked and confused with viridissimus. Like other epiphytes it has probably increased greatly in the last few decades. Unlike Z. viridissimus it often produces capsules in early spring, which draws your attention. Zygodon rupestris wasn't listed by Roy in the county Flora, but, if our current records are sound, it looks as if it is widespread here and probably under recorded. 

Current MapMate records for Zygodon rupestris in Glamorgan

I can't remember ever seeing Z. viridissimus with capsules, but we do occasionally find rupestris in fruit which can lead to confusion with conoideus. The Atlas warns that confusion with conoideus may have led to errors in mapped records of rupestris. So it pays to check the gemmae which in my experience are always present in these 3 species and easily found if you mash up a few leaves on a slide. Zygodon conoideus usually produces lots of gemmae which are 7 or 8 cells long while the gemmae of rupestris are 4 or 5 cells long. The gemmae of Z. viridissimus are almost bullet-shaped and, uniquely, have longitudinal and transverse cell walls.

Zygodon viridissimus: bullet-shaped gemma with longitudinal and transverse cell walls; specimen epiphytic on Sitka Spruce, Pentreclwydau

Zygodon conoideus: cigar-shaped gemma with 8 cells (no longitudinal walls); specimen epiphytic on Grey Willow, Pentreclwydau

Zygodon rupestris: gemma with 5 cells (no longitudinal walls); specimen epiphytic on mature Ash, Ynysmeudwy

Memorial Mosses

For the last five years I have driven past a collection of sad-looking teddy bears strapped to a tree in Gorseinon, which mark the spot of a fatal accident. Over time the teddies have been colonised by bryophytes and not wishing to be disrespectful I have put aside my natural curiosity to take a closer look. However, as the shrine has not been tendered for several years, today my conscience allowed me to take a look. This little community of memorial mosses included Bryum capillare, Ceratodon purpureus, Microlejeunea ulicina, Orthotrichum affine, O. diaphanum, Syntrichia laevipila & Zygodon conoideus.

Mellte bits and pieces

Also seen during yesterday's visit to the valley Plagiochila killarniensis (bifaria) in association with Bartramia pomiformis by the cliff path above Sgwd Clun Gwyn Isaf.

Barbilophozia attenuata and Zygodon rupestris on oak, plus Sanionia uncinata on a log below Sgwd y Pannwr.

Well I wasn't expecting that!

Actually, to be honest I was secretly hoping that Santa might bring me some Daltonia splachnoides during one of my days in Coedydd Nedd a Mellte, but the first couple of hours today were so dull I was really shocked to see the pretty little fringed calyptrae poking out from a log covered in Scapania nemorea.  The location - well up the Mellte valleyside between Sgwd Isaf Clun-gwyn and Sgwd y Pannwr - was hardly classic for Hyperoceanic species, but I'm not complaining!  This is the 4th Welsh record of this UKBAP/Section 7 moss, following three on Salix in conifer plantations in Brechfa Forest, near Llyn Brianne and near Llanwonno in the Glamorgan valleys.  It was new for Breconshire, although the Llyn Brianne colony was only a stone's throw into Carmarthenshire.  The general theory is that this Hyperoceanic moss is a spore-vagrant from Ireland, following Colura but more ecologically demanding.  Its presence in Coedydd Nedd a Mellte SAC raises the unanswerable question of how many other Hyperoceanic rarities in the SAC are relatively recent arrivals and how many are relicts; it is notable, though, that Aphanolejeunea and Drepanolejeunea are only on riverside (mostly cascade-side) trees, so even if they are recent arrivals they have found their way to classic oceanic woodland micro-niches.

This was certainly the highlight of my day in the central Mellte, but some lovely patches of Drepanolejeunea hamatifolia on a classic riverside Ash tree below Sgwd y Pannwr, new for the Mellte, came a close second.

Otherwise, the west bank of the Mellte was good but predictable: Anastrophyllum hellerianum in a few places (only on 4 or 5 trees); equally scattered Jamesoniella autumnalis (on perhaps 15 logs & trees); Cephalozia catenulata, Lophozia incisa and Odontoschisma denudatum on logs in a side valley; one small colony of Plagiochila spinulosa; and a few tufts of Colura on riverside Hazel.  Abundant Zygodon rupestris with a few sporophytes was perhaps the biggest surprise, growing on trees in the mist zone of Sgwd Isaf Clun-gwyn.

Llandaff Cathedral

If a bryologist were visiting my home tetrad (ST17P), the first place they would probably head would be Llandaff Cathedral and the attached graveyard. It might seem odd, then, that I'd never done any mossing there until Saturday. This was because Barry had paid a visit in 2013. However, Barry's visit was quite fleeting so it seemed worth another look, and I didn't have access to the car so my options were limited to somewhere close to home.

I was particularly hoping to relocate two calcicoles recorded by Barry which I'd never seen: Scorpiurium circinatum and Didymodon umbrosus.

The Scorpiurium proved easy to find and was fairly frequent around the base of the cathedral walls on the northern, southern and eastern aspects. It also occurred on some low walls nearby, as in the pic below.

Scorpiurium circinatum

The Didymodon was a different matter - I thought I'd failed to find it, but on checking my samples at home I did find a couple of tiny stems which could, perhaps, be this species - see photos below. It looks fairly similar to Barry's photo from 2013, but it seems to lack the basal hyaline cells mentioned in Smith so I think it must be something else (not just a wretched Schistidium I hope!).

The cathedral walls also added two species for the tetrad: Tortella tortuosa and Pseudocrossidium revolutum.

I then had a look at the graveyard, which added eight more species for the tetrad including Cirriphyllum piliferum, Didymodon tophaceus, Brachythecium populeum and Homalothecium lutescens.

Llandaff cathedral graveyard

The most surprising find, though, was a small patch of fruiting Zygodon conoideus on a sloping grave (gemmae checked microscopically). Has anyone else seen this species on stone?

Grave supporting Zygodon conoideus

Zygodon conoideus on gravestone, mixed with Frullania dilatata

Finally, this Schistidium was growing on a semi-shaded wall top near the cathedral. The leaves have short, toothed hair points and the whole plant is quite large (stems to 5cm). I'd have thought this was apocarpum rather than crassipilum based on the short hair points, but the leaves aren't falcate. Any suggestions welcome, thanks.