Mosses over the sea

There is very little land in ST1971 but this monad does include the outer portion of Penarth Pier. A trip with the family last weekend revealed six species growing on the wooden deck of the pier, directly above the sea at high tide but presumably elevated enough to limit the influence of salt. The species were Bryum capillare, B. argentuem, B. dichotomum, Ceratodon purpureus, Hypnum cupressiforme and Dicranoweissia cirrata.

Surprising urban wall moss

My most surprising bryo find of the winter so far has been Ptychomitrium polyphyllum growing just a stone's throw from the Butterfly Conservation Wales office in Hafod, Swansea. I first noticed a cushion of this moss growing on the sandstone coping of a sloping wall back in November, but only remembered today to take my camera along to get a few photos. I must have walked past it countless times last year before I noticed it. The moss is in the foreground of the photos below. It is close to a busy road junction and must experience pretty high levels of nitrogen pollution.

I noticed today that as well as the large fruiting cushion there is a small non-fruiting cushion nearby (on the right-hand side in the photo below left).

The associates are all mundane species: mostly Grimmia pulvinata with some Bryum capillare and a tiny amount of Tortula muralis. The rest of the wall is almost devoid of moss apart from a few scraps of G. pulvinata here and there.

I've not seen this moss in an urban situation before, but perhaps it isn't so unusual. Sam's Pembrokeshire flora mentions its persistence on imported rocks at County Hall in Haverfordwest, shwoing it can survive some pollution.

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.

... more mobile moss

Unlike George's mobile moss assemblage on an old Land Rover (here) there was only one species, Bryum capillare, on this car [I forgot to identify the model] in Parc Trostre yesterday. Perhaps it's now time for more serious recording...