Tortula cernua (Huebener) Lindb. Flamingo moss POTTIACEAE SYNONYMY: Desmatodon cernuus (Huebener) Bruch & Schimp. Status: Bryophyte Red Data Book – Endangered (2001) English Nature Species Recovery Programme Current GB status (www.jncc.gov.uk) - UK BAP Priority Species Endangered (2008) Status in Europe: Rare Lead Partner: Plantlife International UK Biodiversity Action Plan: These are the current BAP targets following the 2001 Targets Review: T1 - Maintain the range of this species in Britain and enhance its total population size T2 - Regenerate colonies of this species from a possible spore-bank at least three suitable sites by 2010. T3 - Establish by 2005 ex situ stocks of this species to safeguard extant populations. T4 - If regeneration from spore banks fails, assess by 2010 the feasibility and desirability of undertaking translocations to suitable habitat at three sites. Progress on targets as reported in the UKBAP 2002 and 2005 reporting rounds can be viewed on the BARS (Biodiversity Action Reporting System) website: http://www.ukbap- reporting.org.uk/status/species_habitat_nat_status.asp?C=1&X=%7BA704A9B1%2D6A09%2D49DA %2DBF0A%2DA8A126228AA7%7D The full Action Plan for Tortula cernua (UK Biodiversity Group 1999) can be viewed on the following web page: http://www.ukbap.org.uk/UKPlans.aspx?ID=260 UKBAP species actions are currently under review following the recent revision of UKBAP species (2007). The current UK list of Priority Species can be viewed on the following web page: http://www.ukbap.org.uk/PrioritySpecies.aspx?group=6 Contents 1 Morphology, Identification, Taxonomy & Genetics 1.1 Morphology & identification 1.2 Taxonomic & genetic considerations 2 Distribution & Current Status 2.1 World 2.2 Europe 2.3 United Kingdom 2.3.1 England 2.3.2 Northern Ireland 2.3.3 Scotland 2.3.4 Wales 3 Ecology & Habitat Requirements 3.1 Communities & vegetation 3.2 Dispersal & strategy 3.3 Habitat requirements in the UK - conclusion 4 Threats 5 Management Implications 6 Ex situ Conservation 7 Recommendations for Future Work 8 References 9 Acknowledgements 10 Contacts 11 Links 1 Morphology, Identification, Taxonomy & Genetics 1.1 MORPHOLOGY & IDENTIFICATION Description Tortula cernua is a small green acrocarp with a drooping or horizontal capsule on a long wavy seta, looking slightly like a flamingo's neck and head. The gametophyte is similar to many other species of Pottiaceae, being short, unbranched and green, with rather broad, mucronate leaves. Microscopically, the leaves are recurved, denticulate above, and bordered with cells that are longer and narrower and more pellucid than most of the lamina cells. The sporophyte consists of a shortly oval capsule on a long, wavy seta. The spores, at 36-40 µm, are large in comparison with most related species. Colonies sometimes cover large areas of disturbed calcareous ground. However, microscopic features are necessary to distinguish it when sterile. No other British species of Tortula has bordered and clearly denticulate leaves. However, these characters are shared with species of the genus Hennediella, but these have broader leaves and erect capsules. In practice T. cernua is readily identified in the field because it is usually produces abundant sporophytes. According to Blockeel (2000), "…in practice, T. cernua can be recognised reliably and without difficulty in the field if sporophytes are present. The short acrocarpous growth form, mucronate leaves and strongly curved capsule on an erect seta are distinctive. Dicranella varia, which grows in similar habitats to T. cernua and has a curved capsule, is easily distinguished by its linear- lanceolate, secund leaves. Sterile shoots cannot be identified with certainty in the field, as they resemble other species of Pottiaceae." According to Crum & Anderson (1981), distinctive features of T. cernua include "…horizontal (or drooping) capsules…" and a "…distinctive leaf structure - leaves oblong, abruptly pointed, with margins revolute and yellowish-bordered and upper cells hexagonal to rhomboidal (and at least sometimes adorned by C- shaped papillae)...". Figure 1 - Tortula cernua (flamingo moss) at Lindrick Common (Photograph by Nick Hodgetts) Figure 2 - Tortula cernua (flamingo moss) at Lindrick Common (Photograph by Nick Hodgetts) 1.2 TAXONOMIC & GENETIC CONSIDERATIONS The specific status of Tortula cernua appears to be taxonomically uncontroversial, at least at present. 2 Distribution & Current Status 2.1 WORLD Tortula cernua is a circumpolar species known from the High Arctic in Svalbard, Ellesmere Island and northern Greenland, south to montane areas of northern, central and eastern Europe, central Asia and New Mexico (Hill et al. 1992). It is apparently frequent in northern Newfoundland. 2.2 EUROPE Nyholm (1975) describes it as occurring in "scattered localities along the coast from Sör-Tröndelag to Finmark" in Norway, and in North, West, East and Central Europe. Manuscript distribution notes compiled by the European Committee for the Conservation of Bryophytes (pers. comm.) list T. cernua as occurring in Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Svalbard, Sweden, Belgium, Britain, Austria, the former Czechoslovakia, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, Yugoslavia and Italy. It is classified by Hill & Preston (1998) and Hill et al. (2007) as Circumpolar Boreal-montane. 2.3 UNITED KINGDOM Overview In Britain Tortula cernua has a distribution centred on the Magnesian Limestone of South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire and north-east Derbyshire. Recorded from about 20 sites to date in the United Kingdom (all in northern England), recent records for T. cernua are restricted to a small number of post-industrial sites in the Worksop and Doncaster areas. Blockeel (2000) reviewed the status of T. cernua in Britain, and Howes (2000) summarised its status in Yorkshire. Since then, known populations have been monitored regularly (Hodgetts & Blockeel 2002; Hodgetts 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006a, 2006b), and Headley (2004) has made more detailed ecological investigations. T. cernua is listed as Endangered in the British Red Data Book for mosses and liverworts (Church et al. 2001), and in the updated 2005 bryophyte Red List (www.jncc.gov.uk). Figure 4 - British distribution of Tortula cernua Open circles: pre-1980. Closed circles: 1980-2005 Record of T. cernua are listed in Table 1. Table 1 - Records of Tortula cernua – historical and extant Locality County Vice- Grid ref. Alt. Date Recorder Notes count y Woodend, Nottinghamshi 56 SK58 - 01/09/19 J. Brown - Shireoaks re 46 Steetley Derbyshire 57 SK57 - August Unknown Steetley Wood 1946 Steetley Derbyshire 57 SK546789 60 2000 Tom >60 fertile Blockeel shoots Steetley Derbyshire 57 SK546789 60 20/12/20 Nick >10,000 fertile 01 Hodgetts shoots: hundreds of thousands of sterile shoots Steetley Derbyshire 57 SK546789 60 06/12/20 Nick >10,000 fertile 02 Hodgetts shoots: hundreds of thousands of sterile shoots Steetley Derbyshire 57 SK546789 60 08/09/20 Nick >10,000 fertile 03 Hodgetts, shoots Jenny Duckworth, Alistair Headley Steetley Derbyshire 57 SK546789 60 08/12/20 Nick No fertile shoots 03 Hodgetts but hundreds of thousands of sterile shoots. Steetley Derbyshire 57 SK546789 60 01/12/20 Nick >10,000 fertile 04 Hodgetts shoots: hundreds of thousands of sterile shoots. Steetley Derbyshire 57 SK546789 60 16/11/20 Nick >10,000 fertile 05 Hodgetts shoots: hundreds of thousands of sterile shoots. Steetley Derbyshire 57 SK546789 60 December Nick ca. 15,000 2006 Hodgetts fertile shoots: hundreds of thousands of sterile shoots. Plumley lime Cheshire 58 SJ7075 - 23/10/19BBS - beds 66 recorder Anston Quarry South-west 63 SK520823 - 2001 Tom ca. 130 fertile Yorkshire Blockeel plants. None found in Jan 2004, when the trench the plants occurred in had largely been filled in and covered with a track. The site was more or less destroyed by infilling with soil in Nov. 2004. Brancliffe Lime South-west 63 SK541816 70 2000 Tom >400 fertile Works Yorkshire Blockeel shoots Brancliffe Lime South-west 63 SK541816 70 06/12/20Nick >400 fertile Works Yorkshire 01 Hodgetts shoots; thousands of sterile shoots Brancliffe Lime South-west 63 SK541816 70 06/12/20Nick >400 fertile Works Yorkshire 02 Hodgetts shoots; thousands of sterile shoots Brancliffe Lime South-west 63 SK541816 70 08/12/20Nick ca. 100 fertile Works Yorkshire 03 Hodgetts shoots; thousands of sterile shoots. Brancliffe Lime South-west 63 SK541816 70 01/12/20Nick ca. 4000 fertile Works Yorkshire 04 Hodgetts shoots; thousands of sterile shoots. Brancliffe Lime South-west 63 SK541816 70 16/11/20Nick ca. 1100 fertile Works Yorkshire 05 Hodgetts shoots; thousands of sterile shoots. Brancliffe Lime South-west 63 SK541816 70 1/12/200Nick ca. 900 fertile Works Yorkshire 6 Hodgetts shoots; thousands of sterile shoots. Lindrick Common South-west 63 SK58 - 29/01/19 Unknown - Yorkshire 47 Lindrick Common South-west 63 SK554827 60 2000 Tom >400 fertile Yorkshire Blockeel plants Lindrick Common South-west 63 SK554827 60 21/11/20 Nick ca. 150 fertile Yorkshire 01 Hodgetts plants Lindrick Common South-west 63 SK554827 60 16/12/20 Nick ca. 50 fertile Yorkshire 02 Hodgetts plants Lindrick Common South-west 63 SK554827 60 08/09/20 Nick Several dozen Yorkshire 03 Hodgetts, fertile plants. Jenny Duckworth, Alistair Headley Lindrick Common South-west 63 SK554827 60 08/12/20 Nick No fertile Yorkshire 03 Hodgetts plants, though still gametophytes present. Lindrick Common South-west 63 SK554827 60 01/12/20 Nick ca. 1000 fertile Yorkshire 04 Hodgetts plants. Lindrick Common South-west 63 SK554827 60 16/11/20 Nick ca. 50 fertile Yorkshire 05 Hodgetts shoots. Lindrick Common South-west 63 SK554827 60 1/12/200 Nick 13 fertile Yorkshire 6 Hodgetts shoots; several dozen sterile shoots. Maltby, nr. South-west 63 SK59 - 1970 Tom - Yorkshire Blockeel Rivelin, Bell Hagg South-west 63 SK38 - 1880 A. Carr - Yorkshire Roche Abbey South-west 63 SK58 - 1970 Tom - Yorkshire Blockeel South-west South-west 63 SE50 - 1970 Tom Presumably in Yorkshire Yorkshire Blockeel Levitt Hagg area. Sprotborough, South-west 63 SE50 - May 1929 D.A. Jones, - banks of R. Don, Yorkshire F.E.