Miscellaneous

While on a trip to Banwen and Onllwyn a few days ago, principally to check out some old meadows in the vicinity of the washery, H and I took a brief stroll along the path that bisects Gors Llwyn SSSI. Sam and others have recorded some nice wetland bryophytes here, including Hamatocaulis vernicosus, Kurzia pauciflora and Nardia geoscyphus. A good part of the SSSI is in Glamorgan (in NPT in fact), so it adds some significant species to the county list, and once upon a time there was a population of Trollius europaeus here. Carex elata, in one of its few inland sites in Glamorgan, is within easy reach of the path, just inside the county boundary, as is a nice photogenic colony of  Plagiomnium elatum along with Straminergon stramineum.

Plagiomnium elatum, Gors Llwyn

Straminergon stramineum, Gors Llwyn

The old meadows near the washery are of significant interest. One holds small populations of Epipactis palustris and Samolus valerandi, both increasingly rare in wetlands away from the coast in South Wales. Next door (and opposite Gors Llwyn) there is a superb swampy habitat with huge amounts of Bogbean, Marsh Cinquefoil and Water Horsetail and other M27 species. 

Yesterday, after reading George's account of Sam's Kenfig course, followed by a quick phone call to Barry, we went on an Amblyodon and Moerckia twitch. We spent most of the afternoon on our hands and knees with reading glasses on, occasionally loosing the will to live while searching for Moerckia! But success...thanks boys.

Amblyodon dealbatus, Kenfig

Moerckia flotoviana, Kenfig

Ammanford miscellany in SN61B

A population of Riccia subbifurca along a muddy track near Ammanford was unexpected. There were few other species of note other than Plagiomnium elatum, which was recorded nearby in marshy grassland in association with abundant Valeriana dioica. A pink Bryum, possibly pallens (still to check my specimen), was collected from an area of disturbed wet grassland, Physcomitrium pyriforme being the most frequent associate.

Sausages and Thyme

Jamie Bevan spotted some String-of-sausage lichen (Usnea articulata) in the Jersey Marine Alder-Willow Carr this morning, near the Tennant Canal tow path. It's a great record for NPT, although all the indications suggest that this rare, pollution sensitive species is now expanding its range in south west Britain. It was a good excuse for a leisurely afternoon stroll.

Usnea articulata, Jersey Marine (SS71109382)

The Alder-Willow Carr here also has a very significant population of Plagiomnium elatum (Tall Thyme-moss), which for some reason had not been recorded in the MM data base. This rather attractive moss is locally abundant on the wet woodland floor near the tow path and it is looking particularly fine at the moment. It appears to be rather scarce in Glamorgan overall, but there is a robust population in Jersey Marine.

Plagiomnium elatum, Jersey Marine

Plagiomnium elatum, Jersey Marine

Oxyrhynchium speciosum is also quite common in the wood and there is a small amount of Colura.