Do you live in the Manchester area, with a bit of time to spare and/or an interest in growing bryophytes? Or perhaps you have experience with growing bryophytes in cultivation and would be willing to share your knowledge? Read on for an interesting opportuntity…
Nicholas Pearson has been in touch with the BBS. As part of his internship with the University of Manchester Firs Botanical Grounds, he is hoping to do some work on improving the Moss House, which is over 100 years old and in need of some renovation. He would like to expand and diversify the collection of bryophytes, which currently only includes Oxyrrhynchium hians, Pellia epiphylla, Conocephalum conicum, Fissidens sp., Bazzania trilobata, Lophocolea bidentata, Metzgeria furcata, Plagiomnium undulatum, Thamnobryum sp. He would also like to include some native lycophytes and ferns to show the progression of evolution of plants.
He was wondering if the society would like to be involved in this project and if there are any local members of the BSS who would be interested in collaborating to expand the collection. He plans to add a wider range of substrates for the mosses to grow on and is using Michael Fletcher’s Moss Grower’s Handbook to help get him started on this.
The Firs Botanical Grounds is in the Fallowfield area of Manchester. If you are interested in helping Nicholas with his project, either with advice and guidance or with on-hands help, please contact him at:
nicholas.pearson-3@student.manchester.ac.uk
Published: 3 July 2024
