Nant Gelliwion Woodland SSSI

In common with much of eastern Rhonnda Cynon Taff, tetrad ST08U is very under-recorded (just 21 taxa according to Barry's most recent map) despite having considerable potential. Yesterday's Glamorgan Fungus Group outing to the Nant Gelliwion Woodland SSSI gave me the chance to add around 45 species, which were jotted down as a distraction from the fungal fun.

 

 In truth we barely reached the SSSI as there was much to see on the approaches from Maritime Industrial Estate, though the little bit of it we did see looked very promising (photo above). A rotten log was covered in Nowellia (photo below). I'll definitely be returning for a proper look.

 

On returning to the Industrial Estate, there was rather a nice patch of Calliergonella lindbergii on tarmac.

More Tortella torture

dry and wetted vouchers of T. tortuosa  from Port Eynon Point

Recent changes in Tortella taxanomy inspired me to look a bit more critically at a specimen of Tortella tortuosa I collected on the headland at Port Eynon. Whilst I'm sure it is said that species, it took a good while to find any leaves with quadrate superficial cells on the dorsal, upper costa - eventually I did find some but most lacked quadrate cells from leaf-base to tip.

Tortella rename

Tortella fasciculata in its highly contorted dry state.

The Tortella bambergeri I reported back in July here keys out as the suboceanic-submediterranean T. fasciculata following the key by Köckinger & Hedenäs in the most recent JoB. The narrow-leaved appearance of my specimen also fits in line with other British material examined by the authors who indicate the distinction between British and continental material may be genetic, suggesting yet more work may need to be done to fully clarify the status of British material.

Glais horse pasture

A few indistinct (primarily acid) flush lines through this tightly grazed pasture provided some local interest, with species noted including Anagallis tenella, Dicranella rufescens, Entosthodon obtusus, Ephemerum serratum, Fossombronia wondraczekii, Pellia neesiana, Pohlia camptotrachela, Scapania irrigua & Wahlenbergia hederacea.

 P. camptotrachela & F. wondraczekii, with a little P. nitidum & E. serratum

 P. camptotrachela

 E. serratum

Things in abundance

Well, apart from Russula ochroleuca, which at the moment is fruiting in thousands in NPT's Sitka forests........

Firstly, Riccia subbifurca along one of the new logging tracks in Pelenna Forest. Where there were a dozen or so rosettes last year, this year there are hundreds,  with 50+ per square metre in places.

Pelenna Forest Logging Track, habitat for Riccia subbifurca

Riccia subbifurca rosettes - a small part of the Pelenna population!

Secondly, large amounts of Usnea articulata on several Japanese Larch trees on the Maes Gwyn opencast site (SN85230854). I guess it's a bit like the Brechfa Forest population. I'm not sure how fast that stuff grows, but it is represented here in small, medium and long sizes with several  individuals > 50cm long, so it doesn't look like a recent colonist. These larches are plastered in epiphytes, including assorted Ulotas which need checking.

Usnea articulata on Japanese Larch, Maes Gwyn

Usnea articulata on Japanese Larch, Maes Gwyn

Putative Hygroamblystegium humile at Llanrhidian

This robust Amblystegium/Hygroamblystegium, noted growing abundantly in a ringing ride through reed-swamp at Llanrhidian, keyed out as humile using Smith, plus it fits well the characters given in the Field Guide. There's not too much additional material on line I could find that was of real help, so any comments would be very welcome. Key features included:
- stem leaves >2mm, branch leaves quite a bit smaller
- narrow nerve extending 3/4 of way up leaf (not into the tip)
- leaf margins entire
- non-decurrent leaf bases
- leaves well-spaced and widely spreading
I do struggle a bit with these non-descript pleurocarps, so hopefully I'm not way off track!

Baglan worm farm stop

Last week, following surveys at Baglan Burrows, I stopped to look at the birds feeding at the worm farm and noticed an odd-looking Tortella, which proved to be inclinata. There was 70% cover within a 1m square patch at SS7316291405, though I didn't check elsewhere on this extensive brown field site (formerly part of the BP Baglan land), so it would seem likely the species is more widespread here.

The area supports a diverse flora with numerous dune and calcareous grassland elements which are managed by a healthy rabbit population. Areas of slag substrate with drifts of wind-blown sand support species-rich vegetation including areas with Clinopodium acinos, the main associated bryophytes being Encalypta streptocarpa and Hypnum cupressiforme var. lacunosum.