The Bryophyte Challenge!The Bryophyte Challenge!

An introduction to recognisable Bryophyte species of Urban Parks

• Introduction: This introduction will cover Bryophytes and pick on 11 species easily

identifiable, under-recorded and often found hidden away in Urban parks and gardens.

• Search and Find: Using your newly discovered identification skills and passion for

Bryophytes we will head into the park to see them in their natural environment.

• Identification and Q & A: After collecting samples in the field we will bring them back to MBB

for examination and to further describe key features this can then be followed by discussion & questions.

What is a Bryophyte!?What is a Bryophyte!?

• They are small, (mostly) green, non-flowering plants! Often referred to as “lower plants”.

• There ThreeThree ‘Groups’ (HornwortsHornworts (4), LiverwortsLiverworts (300), MossesMosses (763)*).

• They reproduce by spores and/or vegetatively including through the use of gemmae and tubers.

LiverwortsLiverworts• Liverworts rarely have leaf nerves and produce spores

differently to mosses (i.e. they produce them from side splitting capsules on translucent stalks)

• The can be grouped into two categories

leafy-liverwortsleafy-liverworts: marked stem and leaves.thallose Liverwortsthallose Liverworts: no distinct stem or leaves.

MossesMosses• Many more mosses than Liverworts, they are more typically

‘plant-like’ and produce their spores from capsules (like seed-pods) that open at the end.

• Mosses can also be grouped into 2 categories:

acrocarpsacrocarps: species that grow upright with capsules from the top of the stem.pleurocarpspleurocarps: species that grow in a spreading fashion often forming mats with capsules from the sides of main stems.

Why bother with Bryophytes?Why bother with Bryophytes?

• The British Isles are fantastic for them The conditions of Britain and Ireland make them prime habitats for

Bryophyte species with around two thirds of all European species being found here in comparison with only around a sixth of all European flowering plants and ferns, giving us not only fantastic Bryophyte diversity but making us home to some globally rare species.

• They are under-represented! So few naturalists study Bryophytes in comparison with flowering plants

and ferns that it is very easy to contribute important and previously unknown information as to the distribution, life-cycle and general understanding of our Bryoflora.

• They are accessible One of the best things for an amateur naturalists who is interested in

learning a new group; Bryophytes are visible and accessible all year round on top of that they wont run, fly or swim away from you!

So where do I start?So where do I start?

• Take up the challenge!

• Remember they are not as complex as they may first appear..

• Go out and take a look

• Start to build up your own reference collection

Get to know some Court Hey Get to know some Court Hey SpeciesSpecies

11 Species of Parkland 11 Species of Parkland BryophyteBryophyte

Some species of moss and liverwort that can be found around the Court

Hey Park

• Also known as the Bifid and Crescent leaved Crestworts

leafy liverworts, distinctive because of their size and leafyappearance, with shoots often several centimetres long,often found woven in with grasses and other Bryophytes

Habitat: Areas of un-disturbed Damp, shaded and moist grassland, also on rocks, plants and heathland in theright conditions.

Lophocolea bidentata / heterophylla Lophocolea bidentata / heterophylla – 194 records– 194 records

LunulariaLunularia cruciatacruciata

• Also known as the Crescent-cup Liverwort

A thallose liverwort, similar in appearance to Marchantia polymorpha with the exception of its crescent moon shaped gemmae cups.

This liverwort can form extensive mats.

Habitat: L. cruciata favours damp and shaded habitat, in particular bare surfaces. It can often be found growing low on brick walls

where it is shaded behind larger plants.

Marchantia polymorphaMarchantia polymorpha• The Common Liverwort (subsp. ruderalis) and Star-headed Liverwort (subsp.

polymorpha)

This thallose liverwort can form large mats on almost any bare surface, the subspecies can be separated easily by looking at the ‘midrib’, ruderalis has a dotted line, while polymorpha has a broad complete line both produce a cylindrical gemmae cup with jagged edges.

Habitat: often makes use of man made habitats often being found along the joins of paving stones or almost any other urban bare ground or earth.

Kindbergia praelongaKindbergia praelonga• The Common Feather-moss

One of our commonest mosses its most recognisable feature’s are the wider steam leaves (which give the stem a fattened look) and the regular pinnate branching.

Habitat: This species occurs regularly in parks and grassland amongst turf and forming loose carpets over woodland often climbing the bases of trees generally favouring sheltered fairly damp conditions.

Tortula muralisTortula muralis

• Or Wall Screw-moss

One of the smaller distinct mosses forming small tufts or with distinctive silvery nerve from a leaf that curls when dry and a slim pointed capsule held high on a orange seta when visible the capsule teeth are tightly twisted.

Habitat: This moss favours base-rich environments, often in urban areas this takes the form of old brick mortar but will also use concrete, roof tiles etc..

Grimmia pulvinataGrimmia pulvinata

• Grey-cushioned Grimmia (or Grey-pincushion)

Not to be confused with T. muralis! Forms larger and much denser cushions but also with silvery nerve the capsules confirm as they are small and rounded on a seta that bends back into the plant.

Habitat: Often found alongside T. muralis andfavours similar habitat and so is often foundalong the mortar of brick walls or on base-richboulders.

Campylopus introflexusCampylopus introflexus

• Heath Star-moss

A tall distinctive species forming dark green patches that lighten towards the tips, when dry the shoots are tightly closedwith the silver hair point bent back at the tip of the shoot, when wet the leaves at the head spread to form a star-burst.

Habitat: In urban areas this species can most regularly be foundIn plant pots or on rotting tree stumps, posts and other dead wood.

Bryum argenteumBryum argenteum• Silver-moss

A very urban species, this moss benefits from nitrate enrichment and flourishes in disturbed habitats, also very distinctive, forming small pale green cylindrical shoots with silver/white tips.

Habitat: pavement cracks, compact and disturbed ground at the edges of tracks and paths, plant pots, sand-dunes, stream or river banks.

Bryum capillareBryum capillare• Capillary Thread-moss

When wet this species has an almost star or flower-like look from above, however when dry the leaves curl tightly and the shoot looks a little like a thread..The leaf tip extends into a short hair and the moss regularly produces capsules.

Habitat: This moss is very common and widespread and can be found in almost any habitat growing on any substrate to various sizes.

Calliergonella cuspidataCalliergonella cuspidata

• Pointed Spear-moss

One of the more recognisable species with a leaves that curl together at the end of the shoot or branch to form sharp points, the branches themselves are irregular.

Habitat: commonly found in wetland habitats but can occur in almost any situation where wet enough, such as waterlogged turf or soil.

Rhytidiadelphus squarrosusRhytidiadelphus squarrosus

• Springy Turf-moss

Highly distinctive moss, grows in amongst grasses and other mosses, it is irregularly branched and covered in leaves that bend sharply back on themselves. The head of the shoot spreads to become star-like which is noticeable even from a distance.

Habitat: Various grassland, especially where slightly sheltered and damp can form extensive patches.