Afon Afan, Pontrhydyfen

Yesterday a revisit to a site I'd looked at back in 2011 gave me the opportunity to check a short section of riverbank, which was largely modified by concrete and limestone blocks beneath the old bridge abutments. A small patch of Bryoerythrophyllum ferruginascens was probably the highlight (photos above), growing alongside Weissia controversa var. densifolia, the latter visible in the second photo as a bright green strip running between the large metal pipe and the colony of B. ferruginascens.

Schistidium platyphyllum (two images below-left) was frequent on the concrete and rocks that get periodically inundated, associates including Hygroamblystegium tenax and Hygrohypnum luridum  (two images below-right).

Weissia controversa var. densifolia

I rather like the way this colony is enveloping the base of a zinc-coated chain link fence on the boundary of Morriston golf course. The map below shows the number of records is slowly increasing and I'm sure it's fairly widespread if localised. It's worth checking poor soils under this type of fencing, under roadside crash barriers and drip zones under zinc roofing, these all being situations I have encountered the species.

Another fruitless search for Tongue-leaf Copper-moss

Today I had another look for the Scopelophila at Six Pits Branch and a very brief look at Atlantic Close. It is really frustrating me as I cannot find it despite having Sam's 10-fig grid refs. I refuse to believe it's gone as there are sizeable areas of ground that are covered in Weissia controversa var. densifolia, along with the Brachytheciastrum velutinum, Cephaloziella spp. etc also noted by Sam. Unfortunately the grid ref takes you to an area that is dense impenetrable scrub, so I'm guessing there's something up with either the gps reading or the calibration of the Google map (stick SS67919668 into grabagridref and you'll see what I mean) - perhaps I should have used my gps to relocate. The Atlantic Close sites look less favourable for refinding as these are now both heavily scrubbed over and there's a lot of leaf litter. I'm thinking perhaps I'll be better off looking for a colony of my own next time I'm down that way...

W. controversa var. densifolia growing below galvanized fencing,
though it also grows extensively on the metalliferous soils in this
area along with Bryum pallescens