Ty-du Moors SSSI

I spent a fascinating and enjoyable day on this Cardiff fen with Julian Woodman, trying to work out why base-rich areas (with Eriophorum latifolium, Epipactis palustris, Gymnadenia sp. and Triglochin palustris) are becoming increasingly dominated by Sphagnum subnitens and Aulacomnium palustre.  We concluded that more work is needed, with input from Gareth Farr (what a shame you couldn't join us today, Gareth), but probing revealed over 2.5m of peat near the centre of the moor, whilst test coring showed that the base-rich areas and associated Juncus subnodulosus fen are on continuous peat, whereas the edges of the moor with Carex acutiformis fen has a layer of organic-rich clay-silt above the peat.

Campylium protensum is locally abundant in the remaining good, base-rich areas, along with Fissidens adianthoides, Plagiomnium ellipticum, P. undulatum and one stand of Dicranum bonjeanii.  Chiloscyphus pallescens and Cratoneuron filicinum were only in one area.  Poached damp grassland held Pseudephemerum nitidum and one patch of Ephemerum serratum. 

A check of surrounding Willow scrub was worthwhile, with a fruiting patch of Pylaisia polyantha on one Willow, as well as commoner epiphytes.  I think this is the 2nd Glamorgan record, following one on south Gower.  It's a pity that I found this epiphyte after George had left us, following his visit in the morning.  Nearby Alder carr held a peculiar tiny, narrow-leaved moss with gemmae on the leaf tips, forming an extensive patch on a well-rotted log.  I'm 99% certain this is Plagiothecium latebricola. {sorry about the bad iPod photos, I wish I knew how to rotate them in Blogger}.
 

Julian and I ended the day with a visit to some wonderful damp arable fields that Nick, the owner of Ty-du Moors, manages.  We relocated the Anthoceros that Julian and George saw last autumn, and I have a specimen to measure (though it's 99% certain to be A. agrestis).  Alongside were several thalli of Phaeoceros sp. (probably P. carolinianus but needing more study), and abundant Riccia glauca and Fossombronia sp.

All in all a good day, and I hope a boost for tetrad ST17E.

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.

Campylium on forestry tracks

Campylium protensum has made a taxonomic quantum leap from a variety of Campylium stellatum to a full species and the two taxa can be difficult to separate with puzzling intermediates. After seeing Barry's recent post on the Abercanaid road cutting, where he showed a striking population of Campylium protensum, I wondered whether we've been overlooking this species in NPT and, in particular, misidentifying Campylium stellatum.
We've recorded Campylium stellatum along a number of forest tracks, e.g. there is a significant population in the Rhigos/Cwm-hwnt forestry on the border with RCT and others in the Rheola/Resolven forests (and doubtless, elsewhere). We haven't been able to check all the populations, but we've reviewed the Cwm-hwnt plants and one of the Resolven populations.The habit and morphology of these plants are the same, so I am satisfied that, at least, they are the same taxon.
The photograph below shows the Cwm-hwnt habitat with scattered Campylium colonies.

Campylium habitat, Cwm-hwnt

The colonies are pale green, fairly compact and consist of upright plants. Typical associates include Bryum psudotriquetrum, Calliergonella cuspidata, Cratoneuron filicinum, Ctenidium molluscum and Fissidens adianthoides and you might describe this as a base-rich flush.

Campylium habit, Cwm-hwnt

The plants, which have a very nice scent (I've not seen that described elsewhere), are small but their size falls within a range for both protensum and stellatum. They are not as large as some plants I've seen in dune slacks. The are not prostrate but some plants have some pinnate branching.

Campylium, Cwm-hwnt

The Campylium key in Smith separates the two species on the basis of habit (prostrate = protensum versus upright = stellatum), the relative length of the acumen (in abruptly narrowed leaves) and in the anatomy of the leaf - whether alar cells form distinct auricles.

In all the colonies I examined, there were no prostrate plants.The longest acumen I could find was 65% of the total leaf length. This is at the upper limit for stellatum (the acumen can be much longer in protensum). Some leaves show a squarrose tendency, which is a protensum characteristic, but this is not a prominent feature (see photo above):

Abruptly narrowed Campylium leaf showing acumen

And the alar cells form distinct auricles (which is a feature of stellatum):

Campylium leaf showing alar cells and auricles (note slightly squarrose leaf tip).

On balance, I think these forestry track plants are Campylium stellatum, although the habitat may seem suitable for Campylium protensum. Comments and opinions on my interpretation please.

Abercanaid road cutting

Light green patches are Campylium protensum 

 left: C. protensum & D. inclinatum, right D. inclinatum

An opportune and totally random stop just off the A470 for a 15 minute bash to boost SO00R produced some useful records including Distichium inclinatum, Gymnostomum aeruginosum and some lovely dense cushions of Campylium protensum. The cutting was well vegetated with quite a lot of scrub, but open areas with loose shale and the occasional rock exposure supported a distinct suite of seepage calicoles, with the above species all being well represented.

Campylium protensum

Distichium inclinatum (NB capsules occasional, just not on this bit)