Scapania nimbosa (Cloud Earwort) is a relatively rare liverwort of cool, wet climates and a typical member of the northern hepatic mat of north-west Scotland. It is instantly recognisable in the field by the long, spinose teeth. This specimen was spotted by Gordon Rothero on Corra Bheinn during the recent BBS meeting on Jura. It was growing as scattered shoots amongst other liverwort species. You can see more photos on the Species page at https://www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk/learning/species-finder/scapania-nimbosa/.
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Glyphomitrium davesii (Black-tufted moss) was a fairly frequent occurrence on the recent BBS meeting on Jura. This is an easy species to overlook unless it happens to be fruiting, which fortunately it often does! This abundantly fruiting specimen was spotted by David Long, on the side of a boulder near Glenbatrick on the west coast.
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From a specimen collected at Merthen Wood in Cornwall on the 2022 BBS Spring Meeting. Sharon Pilkington led a couple of very successful searches along the creeks around the Helford River, where it was frequently found growing with Cephaloziella turneri (Bryophyte of the month for April) . It is quite a tricky species to photograph in the field though, thanks to its habit of growing in shady underhangs along creek banks.
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Calyptrochaeta apiculata (Southern Hookeria) was much admired on the BBS Spring meeting in Cornwall, March 2022. It really does look like a baby Hookeria lucens, but look more closely and you will spot the pointed leaf apex. The image above was taken by Jonathan Sleath at Frenchman's Creek, and gives some idea of the habitat on creek banks.
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This microscope image of a shoot and perianth of Cephaloziella turneri (Turner's Threadwort) was taken from a specimen collected on the BBS Spring Meeting in Cornwall, 2022. Several populations were found in creeks along the Helford River, but this one was actually growing inland on a private estate near Bodmin. (Click below for the full image).
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Glaucus Beard-moss, photographed by Sharon Pilkington at its only known British site in Wiltshire in February 2022. It is growing on soft shaded chalk in a disused chalk pit, and Sharon reports that it seems to be doing quite well!
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Riccia beyrichiana (Purple Crystalwort) growing on the margins of an old reservoir in the Brecon Beacons. A relatively large Riccia, easily recognised in this case by the swollen margins to the thallus.
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This little liverwort is easy to recognise once you've been introduced to it. The inflated leaf lobes with a long beak (giving it its common name of 'Fingered Cowlwort') are unique amongst British liverworts. The only problem is spotting it in the first place, as it's so tiny! The trick is to find suitable habitat, then get your hand lens out and search for it. This specimen was growing on the trunk of a willow near water in the Brecon Beacons, just the kind of damp habitat it likes.
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Biantheridion undulifolium (was Jamesoniella undulifolia), Marsh Flapwort, growing through Sphagnum rubellum. Photographed by Des Callaghan during a survey of a site in mid-Wales. It seems quite fussy about which species of Sphagnum it grows through, and was predominantly found with S. rubellum at this site.
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The terrestrial form of Ricciocarpos natans (Fringed Heartwort) looks quite different to its aquatic counterpart, being more fleshy and often with a purplish tinge. This photo was taken in a muddy, cattle-poached pingo in Norfolk, where it was growing in great abundance.
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