SUMMARY

Lycopodiella inundata (L.) Holub Marsh Clubmoss, Cnwpfwsoglau y Gors SYN.: Lepidotis inundata (L.) P. Beauv., inundatum L.

Hutchinson & Thomas 1996

STATUS: increases either Nationally Scarce from spore development or vegetative UK BAP Priority Species since 1998 spread. In all stages of its life cycle, the Lead Partner: Plantlife species is low growing and highly 61 / 233 post 1987 10-km squares susceptible to competition from coarser growing species. Accordingly, its OVERVIEW: favoured habitats are all open in nature, Marsh Clubmoss (Lycopodiella inundata with considerable bare ground amongst (L.) Holub) is a low-growing diffusely- relatively low growing associates. In creeping perennial of heathland and lake many cases spore establishment is most margins, decreasing across much of its prolific in young open communities range in England, Scotland and Wales. developing following, often heavy, The species is recorded from two disturbance or erosion (e.g. following principal habitats: in southern England it clay extraction, use of heavy military typically occurs in Rhynchospora alba vehicles, or on ground recovering from dominated, open wet heath communities heavy walker/rider erosion). In its later along the margins of valley mire stages, the relatively slow growing, systems of lowland heathlands: common perennial nature of the species means associates here include Drosera that land managers must provide a long intermedia, Drosera rotundifolia, continuity of the favoured open Rhynchospora alba, the bog-moss conditions, by either turf cutting or Sphagnum compactum, and the alga grazing, ideally by horses or cattle. Zygonium ericetorum. Further north, it is found more typically growing in or Lycopodiella inundata has undergone a immediately adjacent to the inundation massive decline through much of its zone of lakes, typically in the foothills of range in Britain. Of the 230 10-km upland areas, extending up to 390m: squares that the species has been the associates of northern sites are recorded it has only been seen in 61 considerably richer than the heathland squares since 1987, representing a loss sites of the south. Rarer associates of 74% from its full historic extent. It include Rhynchospora fusca in southern has all but disappeared from much of its sites, and Deschampsia setacea and range such that today it is largely Hammarbya paludosa in the north. In confined to strongholds including the all sites, moisture plays an important heaths of the New Forest and the Poole role: at most sites the soil is Basin in southern England, and acidic sodden/waterlogged during the winter lakes of western Scotland. The decline (though rarely flooded, despite its in the species continues today: for specific epithet ‘inundata’ - meaning example, the species was lost from the inundated, submerged), whilst in north half of the Thames Basin summer conditions rarely if ever fully heathlands and the East Anglian dry out. Thus, for example, in the commons as recently as 1975 and 1978 southern heathlands, the species favours respectively, and without urgent action a very narrow zone between the true is likely to disappear from the Wealden Sphagnum dominated bog communities heathlands of Sussex. (where competition from Sphagnum and other species may out-compete Historically many of the sites of L. inundata) and the dry heath L. inundata were lost due to gross communities (where summer droughting habitat destruction including ploughing, must play a critical role). drainage, afforestation and urban SUMMARY development of its heathland sites, conservation effort should largely be together with the conversion of its directed at reinstating traditional Scottish lake habitats into reservoirs. management practices, both in terms of Such threats today pose less of a threat providing open and often eroded ground as many extant sites receive formal for sporeling establishment, and ongoing protection. Accordingly loss of suitable grazing/turf cutting to provide the long- habitat through succession, in the term stability of the open vegetation absence of traditional management favoured by the species. practices remains the principal threat to the species today. Therefore

DISTRIBUTION:

ENGLAND EXTANT East Cornwall 1 (post-1987 records) South Devon 2 South Wiltshire 1 Dorset c. 42 South Hampshire 50+ North Hampshire c. 10 West Sussex 3 East Sussex 1 Surrey c. 3 Westmorland & North 1 Lancashire Cumberland 1 EXTINCT West Cornwall, North Devon, South Somerset, East Kent, West Kent, South Essex, North Essex, Middlesex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Suffolk, West Suffolk, East Norfolk, West Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, North Lincolnshire, Leicestershire & Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire, South Lancashire, North-east Yorkshire, South-west Yorkshire, Mid-west Yorkshire NORTHERN IRELAND EXTANT Peatlands Park, Co Armagh EXTINCT SCOTLAND EXTANT Loch Sgeireach West Sutherland Dubh Lochan Rannoch Moor EXTINCT WALES EXTANT Pembrokeshire 1 Merioneth 1 Caernarfonshire 4 EXTINCT

SUGGESTED FUTURE ACTION: ƒ Hampshire, Surrey and some Dorset ƒ Conservation land managers should sites. The extensive reinstatement of focus urgent activity on reinstating grazing on some Purbeck heaths, traditional practices (extensive under the auspices of Tomorrow’s grazing, turf cutting) on or adjacent Heathland Heritage, provides a good to extant sites. This is particularly model of best practice for acute in areas such as Sussex, North L. inundata. SUMMARY

ƒ The needs of this species should be incorporated into the Integrated Land Management Plans being drawn up by the Ministry of Defence for its land holdings. The military-held training areas of the Thames Basin, Wealden and Dorset heathlands are of especial importance for L. inundata.

ƒ Continue research into poorly- understood aspects of the life-cycle of L. inundata, notably investigating

spore viability and longevity,

sporeling establishment, and the life- Andrew Byfield & Nick Stewart cycle of the gametophyte phase. First draft dated September 2002

Last revised 05 March 2003 ƒ Survey populations in stronghold

areas, including the New Forest

(Hampshire), North Wales and

western Scotland.

ƒ Continue monitoring vulnerable

populations, particularly in the

Thames Basin and Wealden heaths of

North Hampshire, Surrey and

Sussex, and promote remedial or

practical conservation action

wherever appropriate.

For a full profile of Lycopodiella inundata view or download a copy of the full dossier also available from our Species dossier web page.

Contacts

Plantlife - The Wild-Plant Conservation

Charity

21 Elizabeth Street

London SW1W 9RP

Andy Byfield

[email protected]

Tel: 0207 808 0103

Amanda Miller,

[email protected]

Tel: 0207 808 0119

Plantlife’s Back from the Brink (Species recovery) programme is supported by:

English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Countryside Council for Wales.