Bryophytes of Glamorgan
George Tordoff A bit of history
1991-1994 bryophyte atlas (3 vols) published by BBS. Hectad (10km square) scale.
At this time, Glamorgan was the best recorded county in South Wales.
Two county floras:
Tony Smith (1964) while based at Swansea University
Tony Smith (left) in 1960. Photo: BBS A bit of history
Roy Perry
Chapter in Flora of Glamorgan (1994)
Based at NMW. Active recorder in 1970s and 1980s.
Many well-known sites visited (e.g. Morlais Hill) & interesting species found.
A bit of history
Then a long period of stasis…
Preliminary maps drawn up for second bryophyte atlas (published 2014) showed ‘embarrassing Glamorgan- shaped hole for many species’
Gaps acute for species which had increased since the first bryophyte atlas, e.g. many epiphytes In the meantime, other South Wales counties caught up…
Carmarthenshire: Atlas published 2005. Tetrad scale. Sam Bosanquet, Jonathan Graham & Graham Motley. Records from 642 of 678 tetrads.
Pembrokeshire: Atlas published 2010. Tetrad scale. Sam Bosanquet. Recording 2001-2009. All 484 tetrads visited except Grassholm!
Breconshire: Graham Motley continues to record, as well as some recording by others.
Monmouthshire: about half tetrads now visited by Sam.
Urgent need for more Glamorgan recording in time for second atlas! What are bryophytes?
Oldest lineage of land plants
Small – no major root system (rhizoids only). Leaves usually only one cell thick.
Reproduce asexually (gemmae, tubers, leaf fragments) and sexually (spores)
Bryophyte groups
1) Mosses
Thatch moss Leptodontium gemmascens (Barry Stewart)
Common Tamarisk-moss Thuidium tamariscinum Bryophyte groups
2) Liverworts Leafy Two types:
Thallose
Narrow Mushroom-headed Liverwort Preissia quadrata Grove Earwort Scapania nemorea Bryophyte groups
3) Hornworts Look like thallose liverworts but with ‘horns’
Anthoceros species Bryophytes in the UK
Around 1,050 species. Two thirds of European species!
Highest diversity in north and west (high rainfall areas)
Flora is changing all the time…
1960- 1990- 1980 2010 Rise of the epiphytes.
Biological Records Centre maps Bryophyte ecology
Occur in almost all habitats and on almost all substrates… Bryophyte identification
Worth considering courses
Can be recorded autumn- spring
BBS, 2010 Watson, 1981
The renaissance
West Glamorgan leads the way: Barry Stewart (started 2011), Charles & Hilary Hipkin (2011)
East Glamorgan: Peter Sturgess, Mark Evans Gareth Farr and others
Visits from Sam Bosanquet, Graham Motley
BBS field meeting in the Rhondda, 2011 194 species recorded ‘one member was so taken with the area that she said she was tempted to move house to Treorchy.’
Craig y Llyn, October 2014
All photos Barry Stewart Smooth Haircap Atrichum crispum
135 species recorded, including first Glamorgan record of Recurved Rock-bristle Seligeria recurvata
Bryophyte blog http://southwalesbryos.blogspot.co.uk/ Extremely successful: 240 posts since October 2014
Sharing information: • exciting finds • tetrad progress • help with IDs • keeping each other going with routine recording
Progress Progress: 2015
Me Surprises
New sites for scarce species Southern Crestwort Lophocolea semiteres at Gnoll Country Park (Neath), new for Glamorgan Only 4th Welsh record
Charles Hipkin Surprises
New sites for scarce species Squirreltail moss Leucodon sciuroides Epiphyte, much declined. Usually on old trees. Surprises
New sites for scarce species Squirreltail moss Leucodon sciuroides Surprising to find it on a young sycamore in Bute Park! Surprises
New sites for scarce species Nearby on riverbank – Mnium marginatum Surprises
New sites for scarce species Goblin Gold Schistostega pennata Surprises
Refinding old sites for scarce species: Untidy Earwort Scapania cuspiduligera at Knap car park, Mumbles First found by Jeff Duckett in 1969 Barry refound during a chip shop stop!
Photos: Barry Stewart Surprises
Widespread species commoner than expected: Lyell’s Bristle-moss Orthotrichum lyellii: “uncommon” Frequent at low density in Cardiff Street trees and others with well-lit trunks
Arrivals
Balding Pincushion Ulota calvescens. Formerly very rare western species in UK. First recorded March 2015 by Barry at Loughor.
Arrivals
Fingered Cowlwort Colura calyptrifolia. Formerly very rare western species in UK. Proving widespread in conifer plantations.
Photo: Charles Hipkin Tetrad map 2015
Lots still to do! Aspiration…
Tetrad scale map for whole of South Wales?