Help with a moss and a lichen please

PMG · #1 (**permalink**) 07-02-2010, 12:24 PM

Had a day out yesterday and went in search of Forked Spleenwort in North Wales - all well and good - drove to within 50 yards of it and found it no trouble (just for a change!) Whilst down in the field with the spleenwort I spotted the Cladonia on the wall and wondered at its apparently dark/brown fruits round the rims and its extremely robust size and generally 'beefy-ness'! I've now got stuck as C. cocciferae has red fruits and the brown fruited varities don't seen to be this size of shape - as in a good goblet? Any ideas anyone? The wall would have been acidic ........

Moved onto Padarn Country Park after at Llanberris and dipped with the ferns I wanted to find ......... so the consolation prize was the moss which I assumed at the time was Pohlia nutans - now I wish I;'d looked at the leaves as there is also Bryum capillare to consider ........ and I'm tying myself in knots again

Any help you knowledgeable people?!

Pauline

stigofthedump · #2 (**permalink**) 08-02-2010, 01:18 PM

Hi Pauline. I'm just as puzzled as you. I too would have guessed straight off with Pohlia nutans. But the tantalisingly out of focus leaves with, what appears to be, long excurrent nerves would point to Bryum capillare.
The neck of the 'fresh' capsule falls, imo, more closely to that of Pohlia..But the dry capsules show contracted mouths, Watson mentions this as a trait of Bryum capillare, Smith does not.
Sorry no help from me I know but a fantastic photo Pauline. Would you mind if I kept a copy, for my own personal use only, the composition is just fantastic!

Vince

PMG · #3 (**permalink**) 09-02-2010, 09:38 PM

Thanks for thinking Vince - I came up against most of what yoou think too - and yet again shouted at myself for only half looking - being more interested in the photo than the thing itself - then when I get home with the precious photo I've gone to so much trouble over only to find I can't name it - Grrrr - wwhat a plonker I am!

Yes you're welcome to keep a copy! Next time I go there I will check as I know quite clearly where it was but whether I will look at the exact same clump may not be possible - so I may never be sure ......... perhaps some wabber will come along with a definite reason sometime as to why its one and not t'other?? I live in hopes!

Pauline