Annual meeting 1970: Beddgelert, Caernarvonshire

HomeEventsAnnual meeting 1970: Beddgelert, Caernarvonshire

1 April 1970 - 8 April 1970

Meeting report

The Annual Meeting (1-8 April) was held at Beddgelert, Caernarvonshire, and was attended by about 30 members amongst whom we were pleased to welcome Professor Hisatsugu Ando of the University of Hiroshima, Japan. The meeting was planned with special reference to south-west Caernarvonshire, a previously bryologically neglected area, but was marred by cold weather. Few new county records were found as east Caernarvonshire has been well worked.

The first two days of the meeting were spent on the Lleyn peninsula (v.-c. 49). On 2 April members visited Yr Eifl (The Rivals). On these mountains the very acid Calluna heath with granite outcrops produced little of interest except Grimmia elongata. Near the stream Nant Gwrtheyrn were seen Archidium alternifolium, Mnium seligeri* (damp soil in woodland, A.C.C.), Epipterygium tozeri, Philonotis rigida, Cephaloziella pearsonii, Frullania fragilifolia, F. germana and Jubula hutchinsiae and, on a cliff path near derelict buildings at Forth y Nant, Fossombronia incurva* (J.A.P.) and Marsupella funckii. On a peaty bank in a wood nearby at Gallt y Bwlch, Aulacomnium androgynum* and Plagiothecium ruthei* were found (M.F.V.C.). In the afternoon some members visited Sarn Meyllteyrn (Leptodon smithii); the banks of the Afon Horon near Nanhoron, where finds included Hygroamblystegium fluviatile, Cololejeunea minutissima* (on ivy stems, J.A.P.) and Metzgeria fruticulosa; and a wet heath, unfortunately being ploughed up, at Cwmistir near Groesffordd (Campylopus brevipilus and Hypnum imponens).

[* new vice-county record.]

On 3 April Cors Geirch, a rich fen near Bodfuan, was visited. Those who waded the muddy approach were rewarded with Campylium elodes c.fr., Camptothecium nitens, Mnium pseudopunctatum, Bryum neodamense* (R.R.), Moerckia flotoviana, Preissia quadrata and, on tussocks, Riccardia latifrons* (E. R. B. L) and Cephalozia bicuspidata var. lammersiana* (J.A.P.). In a nearby grass field Bryum micro-erythrocarpum* was found (A.C.C.) and in boggy ground above the fen Mnium rugicum* (J.A.), In the afternoon some members visited sand-dunes at Abersoch, where finds included Bryum donianum, Eurhynchium megapolitanum* (J.A.P. et al.), Thuidium philibertii and Riccardia incurvata; coastal cliffs at Llanbedrog (Bryum alpinum c.fr., Philonotis rigida and Ulota drummondii); a wooded gorge and sandy cliffs near Treheli, Porth Nigel (Heterocladium heteropterum var. flaccidum and Brachythecium mildeanum); Moelwyn Mawr (Desmatodon convolutus and Frullania fragilifolia); and a fallow field at Mynydd Mawr near Aberdaron, where Ephemerum serratum var. minutissimum* was found (B.J.O.).

On 4 April a visit was paid to Moel-yr-Ogof where outcrops of basic volcanic rocks support a rich flora. Because of the cold weather little of interest was found and a number of members preferred low-lying areas. One of the most interesting of these was Ceunant Llenyrch, a wooded ravine near Maentwrog (v.-c. 48), where finds included Hylocomium umbratum c.fr., Orthodontium lineare, Ulota drummondii, Aphanolejeunea microscopica, Drepanolejeunea hamatifolia, Harpalejeunea ovata, Douinia ovata, Jamesoniella autumnalis, Sphenolobus helleranus, Riccardia palmata and Cryptothallus mirabilis* (under Sphagnum recurvum in Betula scrub, J.G.D.). In wooded valleys above Llyn Gwynant (v.-c. 49) Gymnostomum calcareum, Tetraphis browniana and Jubula hutchinsiae were found.

At the Annual General Meeting, which was held at the headquarters hotel in the evening, Professor P. W, Richards was elected an Honorary Member of the Society and Dr D. H. Dalby was elected Honorary Secretary in place of Mr E. C. Wallace who retires after more than 20 years’ service to the Society.

On 5 April one party visited Anglesey (v.-c. 52). In coastal woodland on the south side of Traeth Dulas, north-west of Llanallgo, finds by J.A.P. and A.C.C. included Dicranella staphylina, Funaria fascicularis, Orthotrichum pulchellum, Metzgeria fruticulosa* (on a hazel branch), Lejeunea lamacerina var. azorica* (on shaded rocks) and Plagiochila asplenioides var. major* (on a bank). On mine waste or adjacent peaty soil at the copper-mined Parys Mountain, so named after Robert Parys in the fifteenth century, J.A.P. and A.C.C. found Bryum ruderale*, Cephaloziella stellulifera*, Calypogeia muellerana* and Lophozia bicrenata*. Aberffraw sand-dunes produced Petalophyllum ralfsii, Southbya tophacea c.fr. (see p. 328), Solenostoma sphaerocarpoidea and Cephaloziella hampeana* (dune slack, J.A.P. & A.C.C.).

It had been hoped to work the Moelwyni near Blaenau Ffestiniog (v.-c. 48) on 6 April but because of snow the excursion was limited to Llyn Stwlan, access to which was given by the Central Electricity Generating Board. The terrain is composed of hard slaty acidic Ordovician rocks and produced Acrocladium sarmentosum, Philonotis caespitosa, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Barbilophozia barbata, Scapania subalpina, S. uliginosa and Plectocolea obovata. After lunch some members visited the wooded valley of the Afon Goedal above Rhyd-y-Sarn (Leucobryum glaucum and L. juniperoideum (Brid.) C. Muell., both c.fr.); the gorge of the Afon Cynfal near Pont Tal-y-Bont (the water was badly polluted but in and by the river were Atrichum crispum, Isothecium holtii and Heterocladium heteropterum c.fr.); a second ravine of the same river about 2 miles north of Ffestiniog (Encalypta ciliata); and Portmeirion (Campylopus polytrichoides, Isopterygium elegans c.fr. and Frullania microphylla).

The final excursion on 7 April was to Morfa Harlech, an extensive area of sand-dunes. In the past a number of interesting species have been recorded but on this occasion the most notable finds were Amblystegium varium, Campylium polygamum, Moerckia flotoviana and Riccardia incurvata. In the afternoon members visited some of the Merionethshire valleys including Cwm Bychan where a number of species recorded on previous visits (see Rep. Br. bryol. Soc. 2, 325-6 and Trans. Br. bryol. Soc. 4, 888-92) were seen; the Llandecwyn/Bryn Bwbach valley (Atrichum crispum, Coscinodon cribrosus, Fissidens celticus, Grimmia doniana var. arenaria, Leuco bryum glaucum c.fr., Philonotis capillaris, Pohlia bulbifera, Calypogeia sphagnicola, Cephaloziella subdentata and Cryptothallus mirabilis); and Cwm Croesor (Cynodontium polycarpum).

Although south-west Caernarvonshire proved somewhat dull bryologically compared with Snowdonia, much useful recording was carried out for the mapping scheme.

A. J. E. Smith

List of contributors 1970

A. C. C. A. C. Crundwell
A. R. P. A. R. Perry
B. J. O. B. J. O’Shea
D. M. S. D. M. Synnott
E. H. E. Hegewald
E. R. B. L. E. R. B. Little
J. A. Mrs J. Appleyard
J. A. P. Mrs. J. A. Paton
J. G. D. J. G. Duckett
M. F. V. C. M. F. V. Corley
R. R. R. Richter
Location:

Beddgelert, Caernarvonshire