This species has featured before as a Bryophyte of the Month, back in the 2000's, but there is always a place for a beautiful (and scarce) bryophyte with a story to tell! The previous photo was taken by Des Callaghan from a specimen collected at Dore Abbey in Herefordshire. Shortly after he identified his specimen, Sam Bosanquet realised he had the same species from a similar habitat - a stone tiled church roof - in Monmouthshire. Sadly, last year, the roof of this church had to be replaced as the timbers had rotted. But all was not lost. The specialist roofing company brought in to do the work, collaborated with Sam to save many of the roof tiles with Hedwigia attached and keep them safe whilst the timbers were replaced. They were then replaced as closely as possiible to their original location and aspect on the new roof.
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The Glos local group was pleased to find this species on a recent meeting in the Forest of Dean. It can be difficult to tell from the more common P. asplenioides and P. porelloides, but its habit - growing in loose mats - and leaf shape gave this one away. On close inspection, the cells looked a little larger too, but that needed confirming under the microscope.
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One of the many beautiful liverworts seen on the recent BBS Liverwort Workshop in Kinlochewe. This lovely photo was taken by Philippa Thompson.
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I'm not sure what this Marchantia was looking at, surely the photographer wasn't that scary!!!
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This rather rare oceanic liverwort was seen on the banks of the Claggain river during the recent Summer meeting on Islay. It is large and differs from other thallose liverworts also found in this habitat by having no air pores on its surface, and having bristly hairs along the thallus margins - so there should be no problem identifying it if you are lucky enough to see it!
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The common name for this moss is Yellow-bud Grimmia, presumably because of the yellowish clusters of gemmae on many of the shoot tips (which you might be able to make out on the left side of this cushion). This photo was taken during the Ben Lawers meeting in autumn 2023, on a loch-side boulder at Coire nan Cat - a typical habitat for this species.
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This beautiful close-up of a shoot of Mylia taylorii, taken by Wouter van Landuyt from a specimen collected on Islay, shows the recurved leaves and large cells beautifully. To say that I'm envious of the microscope Wouter used to take this photo would be an understatement!
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Spotted by David Long on the recent BBS summer meeting on Islay. This specimen is growing with a confusing mixture of other liverworts, including Aneura pinguis, a Riccardia and a Jungermannia (at least!). These are female plants, with young, frilly-looking perianths.
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Previously known as Preissia quadrata, or Narrow Mushroom-headed Liverwort. This image shows immature female receptacles, each of which can have up to 8 sporophytes which develop inside a protective involucre. This specimen was growing in crevices in a wall at Visegrád Castle near Budapest in Hungary.
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One of the many beautiful bryophytes seen on the recent meeting in Hungary. This species was growing in saline grassland at Apaj, and was obviously very happy. Thank you to Peter Erzberger for arranging the meeting, and shepherding our group of around 20 errant bryologists around some of the most interesting sites in the region of Budapest without losing anyone (or his temper)!
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