This unmistakeable, pale green, furry liverwort (common name Downy Veilwort) was one of many beautiful bryophytes photographed during the 2023 BBS Autumn meeting on Ben Lawers.
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Bryums have a bad reputation for being tricky to identify, but this specimen of B. pallens (Pale Thread Moss) growing on rocks by a reservoir on Ben Lawers didn't pose too much of a problem thanks to it's salmon-pink colour and distinctly concave leaves. Seen here growing with Bryum pseudotriquetrum and the liverwort Blasia pusilla with it's characteristic gemmae.
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This beautiful image of the fringed calyptrae of Encalypta ciliata (Fringed Extinguisher-moss) was taken by Clare Shaw on the BBS meeting on Ben Lawers in 2023 (after the Centenary AGM). It is quite a feat to get everything looking so sharp, especially the cilia!
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Another of the more unusual Sphagna seen at Silver Flowe in Galloway during the BBS Summer meeting 2023. Sphagnum medium was only relatively recently split from S. divinum; both were formerly recorded as S. magellanicum.
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One of the rarer Sphagna seen at Silver Flowe in Galloway during the BBS Summer meeting 2023. Others included S. beothuk, S. austinii and S. medium. As it's name suggests, Sphagnum pulchrum is one of the most beautiful! Photo: Philippa Thompson.
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Grimmia decipiens (Great Grimmia), spotted recently by Sharon Pilkington whilst pottering around a Sarsen stone site (Piggledene SSSI near Marlborough). The long hair points are a good indicator, and if you have good enough eyes, you might be able to see that they are coarsely toothed.
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The beautiful capsules of Entosthodon muhlenbergii (Muhlenberg’s Cord-moss) just reaching maturity at the end of April. This specimen was growing on a limestone escarpment in the south of the Brecon Beacons, overlooking the Clydach valley.
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The aptly named 'Flood Moss' found growing on a Willow branch on the banks of the River Severn in Worcester, during the 2023 Spring weekend meeting. This specimen was unusually clean and well hydrated thanks to some heavy showers on the previous day. It was recorded new to the vice-county.
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Spotted on the BBS meeting in the Lake District, April 2023. Photo by Peter Martin.
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Riccia crystallina spotted by Sharon Pilkington whilst surveying along the Fal Estuary in Cornwall recently. It was growing on Turnaware Point, one of the places used to board troops for the D-day landings in 1944 and now owned by the National Trust. Although it’s quite remote, the area gets quite a few visitors by foot, boat and bike, and there were thousands of rosettes growing in grassland charred from multiple campfires and BBQs.
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