Bryophytes 2001

By Lorna Fraser

The informal Bryophytes (i.e. mosses and liverworts) Group organised by Tessa Carrick visited several sites in Worcestershire as well as getting together indoors with microscopes to work through keys.

At the Knapp & Papermill reserve in January we recorded in woodland, stream and meadow habitats: 44 species were found, including Anomodon viticulosus Rambling tail-moss) and Mnium stellare (Starry Thyme-moss),.

In April, despite Foot and Mouth restrictions, we managed to find 39 species in parts of the Lickey Hills Country Park, including acid heathland species such as Hypnum jutlandicum (Heath Plait-moss), Campylopus introflexus (Heath Star moss) and Lepidozia reptans (Creeping fingerwort).

A visit to Chaddesley Corbett in May, together with the Border Bryologists led by Mark Lawley, resulted in 56 species being recorded, including Fissidens pusillus (Petty Pocket-moss) which was new for VC37.

In June two parts of the Malvern Hills, though parched dry, yielded a total of 34 species including acid rock & moorland species such as Ptilidium ciliare (Ciliated fringewort), Cynodontium bruntonii (Brunton's Dog-tooth) and Hedwigia ciliata var. ciliata (Fringed Hoar-moss) See Worcestershire Record No 9 April 2001 page 8.

Two visits to Crews Hill Wood in September resulted in a list of 59 species. The first visit was by Mark Lawley (of Border Bryologists), Harry Green, Tessa Carrick and myself, while the second was a follow-up visit with several of the Bryophytes Group. Mark's observations contributed the vast majority of identifications but the second outing did manage to add a few extras! The old limestone quarries yielded a good selection of interesting calcicoles such as Ctenidium molluscum (Chalk Comb-moss) and Neckera complanata Flat Neckera). One species Campylophyllum calcareum (Chalk Feather-moss) was "de-bracketing" for VC37. (Entries in the 1998 Census Catalogue are bracketed for species unrecorded since 1950). The species Trichostomum crispulum (Curly crisp-moss) was only recently de-bracketed for VC37, yet it was locally abundant in the quarry cuttings as well as along the stony tracks.

Records from Crews Hill Wood, Suckley, September 2001

Mosses

Amblystegium serpens
Barbula convoluta
Barbula unguiculata
Brachythecium glareosum
Brachythecium rutabulum
Brachythecium velutinum
Bryum capillare
Calliergonella cuspidata
Campylium calcareum
Campylium stellatum var. protensum
Campylophyllum calcareum
Campylopus introflexus
Cratoneuron filicinum
Ctenidium molluscum
Dicranella heteromalla
Didymodon fallax
Didymodon insulanus
Didymodon luridus
Didymodon rigidulus
Didymodon sinuosus
Ditrichum cylindricum
Ditrichum heteromallum
Eurhynchium hians
Eurhynchium praelongum
Eurhynchium striatum
Fissidens bryoides
Fissidens taxifolius
Fissidens viridulus
Funaria hygrometrica
Homalia trichomanoides
Hypnum cupressiforme
Isothecium alopecuroides
Isothecium myosuroides
Mnium hornum
Neckera complanata
Orthotrichum affine
Plagiomnium rostratum
Plagiomnium undulatum
Plagiothecium nemorale
Plagiothecium succulentum
Pohlia melanodon
Polytrichum formosum
Rhynchostegiella tenella
Rhynchostegium confertum
Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus
Schistidium crassipilum
Scleropodium purum
Thamnobryum alopecurum
Thuidium tamariscinum
Trichostomum crispulum

Liverworts

Diplophyllum albicans
Frullania dilatata
Lophocolea bidentata
Lophocolea heterophylla
Lophozia ventricosa
Marchantia polymorpha
Metzgeria furcata
Pellia endiviifolia
Plagiochila porelloides

Records from Penny Hill Quarry 21st July 2001. Records of bryophytes identified by Mark Lawley on the Worcestershire BRC recording meeting are listed with the other records elsewhere in this Worcestershire Record.

Reference