Penyclawdd Wood revisited

Penyclawdd Wood (SO40J/P) is part of my Dingestow Court home patch, and was one of the first areas where I recorded bryophytes 17 years ago.  Since then I have made many visits, but these largely stopped when Bea was born (7 years ago) and I have only looked once since 75% of the wood's conifer blocks were clearfelled in 2012.  That visit, in 2013, produced Dingestow's only Sphagnum record: a single patch of S. subnitens.  Yesterday I checked two other blocks of clearfell, one of which has been almost overwhelmed by Ulex gallii (!!) whereas the other remains relatively clear.  There was no Sphagnum, but species of note in the clearfell/regrowth areas included Archidium alternifolium (photo), Fissidens exilis (photo) and Fossombronia pusilla. 

 

A damp, clay track that was once heavily disturbed by farm traffic is now kept open by pedestrians (and deer) because vehicles use the tracks that were put in for conifer extraction.  The sedge-rich vegetation on the clay track holds locally abundant Campylium protensum (photo), scattered Bryum pseudotriquetrum (photo) and some non-fertile Weissia with decumbent shoots that is probably W. squarrosa (photo).

There were various blocks of broadleaved woodland among the conifers, and these now stand proud of the clearfell.  One area of 30 year old birches surround a spring where Chiloscyphus pallescens and Fissidens adianthoides grow alongside Valeriana dioica and various other calcicoles.  The floor of this 'birch grove' holds abundant Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus (very rare around Dingestow) and is the only site locally for R. loreus (photo) (a few shoots 15 years ago, but now a couple of small patches) and Loeskeobryum brevirostre (photo) (one hand-sized patch about 7 years ago, but now abundant over >5x5m!).

 

It is fascinating to be able to revisit this very diverse area of woodland after so long.  It used to support White Admirals, Glow-worms and many different moth species.  More to revisit over the next several years.

Michaelston-le-pit

Saturday's Glamorgan Botany Group trip to Michaelston-le-pit in the eastern Vale provided a good opportunity to have a first look at this woefully under-recorded area. The two tetrads visited, ST17L and G, had only 4 bryo species recorded between them according to Barry's latest map, despite supporting some lovely woodland with botanical delights such as Italian Lords and Ladies (ssp. neglectum), Bird's-nest Orchid, Greater Butterfly Orchid and Herb Paris.

The bryophytes were parched and there were plenty of other botanical and entomological distractions, so my survey was far from thorough, but a few nice species were recorded nonetheless. The rocky limestone woodland held abundant Cirriphyllum crassinervium (including some with old sporophytes), Porella platyphylla, at least one patch of Mnium stellare at the base of a limestone outcrop and Isothecium alopecuroides at the base of an Ash trunk.

Rocky limestone woodland

Cirriphyllum crassinervium (with old sporophytes)

The best find in the valley woodland was a large patch of Fissidens exilis on a soil bank. There seem to be very few recent Glamorgan records of this tiny pocket moss.

Valley woodland

Fissidens exilis (fruiting)

Fissidens exilis - whole plant, showing unbordered leaves

The area certainly warrants a more thorough look in more favourable conditions.