Mosses index

Notes on recording mosses and liverworts in churchyards – re Bugbrooke 25th January 2007

by Rachel Carter.


Tombstone with Racomitrium aciculare	Racomitrium aciculare

In a county like Northamptonshire with little open countryside churchyards can be an important habitat for all kinds of wildlife, and mosses are no exception. Species which like to live on stone do particularly well, but there is often a good variety of soil- and tree- loving ones as well [although Bugbrooke lacks the latter]. Liverworts tend to need higher moisture levels than mosses so they are relatively less frequent in churchyards. A fairly ordinary churchyard supports a dozen or so bryophytes, richer ones 20–30, and the best -– including Bugbrooke --- 30–40

Bugbrooke churchyard is special because it has two rare mosses. Racomitrium aciculare is usually a plant of mountain streams in the north and west of Britain and is extremely rare in the south-eastern part of the country; there are several cushions on one of the tombstones at Bugbrooke. The tiny Tortula marginata is similar to the common Tortula muralis [Wall Screw-moss] which grows on many wall-tops, but it prefers the foot of shaded walls. When it was found at Bugbrooke this was the first record in the county since H.N. Dixon found it at Dallington before 1900.


A low churchyard wall	Tortula marginata

A few local enthusiasts study mosses and liverworts [together known as “bryophytes”], both for their own interest and enjoyment, and to gather data for mapping projects co-ordinated by the British Bryological Society. The website www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk is good for more information; click ‘Field Guide’ to get to pictures of many of the commoner species. Mosses and liverworts are best appreciated by looking at them very closely, with a hand lens or a microscope; if you want to do this, choose one which is obviously very plentiful, and even then only take a small piece.

Species	Habitat	Notes
*Mosses*
Amblystegium serpens		Tiny, creeping
Brachythecium rutabulum		Very common, creeping, big, often pale green
Bryum argenteum		Small silvery cushions; the moss which grows between paving stones.
Bryum capillare
Calliergonella cuspidata	In grass	Creeping, wet places. Shoots end in a sharp point.
Didymodon insulanus
Didymodon nicholsonii	Tarmac at west end of church	Uncommon
Didymodon sinuosus
Didymodon vinealis	On church wall
Eurhynchium hians
Eurhynchium praelongum	Ground under trees	Very common, small, creeping, oftens regularly pinnate.
Fissidens incurvus
Fissidens taxifolius		Flat upright shoots, on shady soil
Grimmia pulvinata		Grey cushions with drooping capsules
Homalothecium sericeum		Glossy, creeping, on walls etc
Hygrohypnum luridum	On stone paving, north side of church	Uncommon
Hypnum cupressiforme		Very common; creeping, with neat ‘plaited’ appearance.
Orthotrichum cupulatum	On paving slab by church wall	Uncommon
Plagiomnium undulatum		Very large, upright, long undulate leaves with teeth all round
Racomitrium aciculare	Tombstone [with railing round]	New record for Northants; usually found in mountain streams in the north and west
Rhynchostegiella tenella		Occasional
Rhynchostegium confertum
Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus	In grass	Common in lawns; starry-looking shoots
Schistidium crassipilum
Syntrichia intermedia
Syntrichia latifolia	Tarmac path	Uncommon
Syntrichia ruralis
Tortula marginata	Base of low wall under trees	No recent Northants records
Tortula muralis		Small, hairy, on walls; upright capsules

*Liverworts*
Lophocolea bidentata		Pale, flattened, leaves with 2 prongs
Lunularia cruciata	Base of church wall	“Thallose” liverwort [flat green lobes] with crescent-shaped ‘gemmae cups’.

If you want to know more about Mosses and Liverworts including pictures of ones mentioned, go to http://www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk

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