Bryum alpinum and other forest track species in Neath Port Talbot

 Bryum alpinum is one of a number of interesting species associated with forestry tracks; e.g. see Sam's forestry track list for Carms in post above.

Bryum alpinum, forestry road Cwm Corrwg Forestry

Some of the other,more common forestry track species in NPT include: Barbula unguiculata, Bryum pseudotriquetrum, Calliergonella cuspidata, Ctenidium molluscum, Dichodontium pellucidum, Dichodontium palustre, Dicranella varia, Didymodon fallax, Jungermannia gracillima, Nardia scalaris, Philonotis fontana, Pogonatum urnigerum, Pohlia wahlenbergii, Sphagnum denticulatum, S. fimbriatum, S.inundatum and Trichostomum crispulum. Less common, but nevertheless associated with forest tracks are: Calliergonella lindbergii, Campyliadelphus chrysophyllus, Campylium stellatum, Didymodon ferrugineus, Ditrichum gracile, Encalypta streptocarpa  and Oligotrichum hercynicum. Compared to other inland habitats in NPT, forest tracks have a disproportionate number of base-loving species, which is also evident in their flowering plant diversity. Interestingly, there is also a suite of fungi (e.g. Lacrymaria velutina, Lyophyllum connatum, Melastiza cornubiensis, Melanoleuca polioleuca, Pholiota gummosa), and lichens (e.g. Collema spp.) associated with these tracks and of course the ubiquitous occurrence of colonial Nostoc. It's a new ecology.

Gwrhyd

I was up on the Gwrhyd yesterday and had a quick look at a site I came across in 2011; a small area of sloping Sandstone rocks in acid grassland. The Bryum alpinum was still going strong and was blood red in the bright sunshine, although the Lasallia pustulata was all crisped, but still distinctive. Without any exciting new finds the total for the square was taken to 108.

An itch that needed to be scratched

I've been wanting to have a proper look at Tarren y Gigfran (ST09U), an area of sandstone crags and block screes to the south of Aberfan, for some time - and I finally got the chance yesterday. There were only two previous bryo records from the site: Andreaea rothii ssp. falcata recorded by Wade in 1958, and Racomitrium lanuginosum recorded by me on a casual visit in 2012.

On the way to the crags was a small wooded cwm filled with huge sandstone blocks.

These supported a good range of acidophiles including abundant Scapanea nemorea on some of the blocks.

Sandstone blocks with abundant Scapanea nemorea

To reach the east-facing northern crag I had to cross a large area of block screes, which supported abundant Racomitrium heterostichum, occasional A. rothii ssp. falcata, small patches of Ptilidium ciliare and Scapania gracilis, and a couple of patches of what I think is Polytrichastrum alpinum (see photo below - stems were branched and look good for it, but I suppose I should attempt a leaf section to confirm).

Sandstone blocks and crags beyond

Andreaea rothii ssp. falcata

Ptilidium ciliare

Polytrichastrum alpinum (tbc)

Polytrichastrum alpinum (tbc)

The northern crags showed absolutely no evidence of base enrichment, but a nice range of calcifuge mosses were present including frequent Cynodontium bruntonii and a couple of cushions of Bartramia pomiformis.

Cynodontium bruntonii

Bartramia pomiformis

The itch isn't quite scratched as I didn't have time to look at the southern crag, which is north-east facing and longer than the northern crag. Another time...