Identification notes

This is the rarest of our Hedwigia species and, although it was first recognised as long ago as 1829, it has subsequently been overlooked. It grows on boulders and acid rocks in upland areas and when dry it bears a strong resemblance to H. ciliata var. ciliata. In this state, its furrowed leaves may be visible with a hand-lens, but in some plants this character is poorly developed. When plants have capsules, as they often do, it’s worth examining the inner perichaetial leaves to make a confident identification.

An article in Field Bryology, which describes the characters of H. striata, can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland

The publication of the 2014 Atlas pre-dated recognition of H. striata and it is included only under Hedwigia ciliata s.l. Although probably overlooked in some districts as H. ciliata var. ciliata, H. striata is certainly a rare species. It is known from the uplands of north Wales, Scotland and Ireland.