Identification notes
This is a rare Seligeria that is confined to wet, often dripping shaded calcareous cliffs and overhangs, usually themselves in bryologically exciting terrain. S. patula is much more common than the similar S. trifaria which has only been confirmed in NW Scotland (West Ross). Mature capsules with spores are needed to tell them apart properly though.
At first sight the short, rather matted shoots of S. patula do not much resemble a moss of any kind. The long leaves in three ranks stick to each other when wet (they are always wet) and in that sense strongly resemble S. trifaria. However, when capsules are present the general Seligeria resemblance is clear.
Read the Field Guide account
