Swamp Feather-moss near Merthyr

At 340m asl, a population of Amblystegium radicale to the north-west of Merthyr was found to be well established at more than twice the maximum elevation given in the new bryophyte atlas. Whether or not the species is extending it's range eastwards, upwards, or just that it is now better understood is debatable. Direct associates around the margins of this very small reservoir included Drepanocladus aduncus and Marchantia polymorpha subsp. polymorpha. 

104 taxa were recorded at this rural industrial site with a good mix of calcicoles and calcifuges represented taking the totals for SN90Y and SO00D onto 156 and 65 respectively. Other species of interest noted, which give a flavour of the site, included Aneura pinguis, Aulacomnium palustre, Campyliadelphus chrysophyllus, Campylium protensum, Carex arenaria, C. divulsa d., C. hostiana, C. pilulifera, C. pulicaris, Climacium dendroides, Didymodon ferrugineus, Ditrichum gracile, Homalothecium lutescens, Loeskeobryum brevirostre (photos 1 & 2 below), Pyrola rotundifolia (photo below), Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scapania irrigua, Syntrichia ruralis var. ruraliformis, Tortella tortuosa & Weissia controversa var. densifolia.

Gwendraeth Fawr

An area of M23b-S5 transition on the floodplain of the Gwendraeth Fawr had a strong population of Amblystegium radicale in an otherwise bryo-poor marsh community. I've only seen this species a few times before and never growing as well or as erect as this, and with the largest leaves up to 1.7mm long (Smith gives max. as 1.4mm), confirmation or otherwise would be appreciated. The narrow, but long decurrent leaf bases seem to be key.

Willows along the adjacent disused canal/railway (now mostly wet woodland) supported locally frequent patches of fruiting Homalia trichomanoides, with occasional curly shoots of Sanionia uncinata intermixed.

Finally, an area of tightly grazed turf on what appears to be the remnant of an old tip was largely dominated by a Weissia  (photo below right) that had a few clusters of young sporophytes. The presence of frequent Bryum pallescens (with old and develping sporophytes), perhaps suggests this might be W. controversa var. densifolia, but the expanse of Weissia was more of a crust than the dense cushions I've seen at other sites. Again opinion would be welcome, but I suspect it will simply have to be logged as Weissia sp. A non-fruiting and indeterminate Cephaloziella (photo below left) was the only other frequent bryo at this interesting little area.