Due to a number of factors, including the chilly east wind and the short notice given for this meeting, only four of us assembled at the Dog Walkers’ carpark at Bush Science and Technology Park, an old estate which combines hi-tec laboratories and offices with parkland trees and woodland walks.

Within monad NT2463 we found sixty bryophyte species. After casually misidentifying Oxyrrhynchium hians, the very first moss that I came across, we switched our attention to the many epiphytes on base-rich bark. These included Orthotrichum stramineum, one of four Orthotrichum species seen today. A nearby pond was a bit disappointing, the margin being dominated by Calliergonella cuspidata. However a tiny patch of heathland was more rewarding, producing species typical for that habitat such as Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi, Dicranum scoparium, and Hypnum jutlandicum as well as a golden liverwort Ptilidium ciliare. Nearby Simon found Riccardia palmata on a well-rotted log and Zygodon conoideus (from examining the gemmae) on Elder.

Eilidh, who works at Bush, is familiar with the road layout and took us on a short cut across the estate so that we stayed within NT2463 and kept to our approximate schedule. On the stones of a bridge across a ravine we were surprised to find Scapania nemorea. After crossing the bridge and descending some steps we stopped for lunch by a small pond. Here we recorded Eurhynchium striatum and Cirriphyllum piliferum both at the side of another flight of steps.

The valley of the Glencorse Burn sheltered us from the east wind. However we did not add many species to our list during the remainder of our walk until arriving near some offices where the change in habitat produced different mosses. These included Orthotrichum cupulatum and Bryoerythrophyllum recurvirostrum.  The epiphytic pleurocarp Cryphaea heteromalla had eluded us up to this point but we found a scraggy specimen on a tree by a car park. Marchantia polymorpha, growing beside the kerb, was our final find of the day.

David Adamson, April 2025

Meeting details

Location: Bush Estate near Penicuik

Leader: David Adamson

The aim is to learn and record bryophytes within monad NT2463. Bush Estate is a science and technology park within an old estate. It has a perimeter woodland walk which we are likely to follow.

Meet at the “Dog Walkers” car park at NT24615 63711. Lothian Bus 15 stops nearby at the Technopole. There are no toilets or other facilities. Please bring a hand lens and packed lunch and wear suitable clothing and footwear.

Please email davidadamson32@gmail.com no later than Friday 18 April if you wish to attend.