Thursday 14 March 2013

Mosses in Winter

Moss amongst the lichen on a Lundin Links garden wall.
Perhaps it's because spring is a little late this year, daffodils are mostly still in bud here and everything seems rather drab that the mosses are more noticeable and perhaps have benefited from all the rain this winter.
 Close up of the mosss in the above photo probably Polytrichum commune.
On the sandy paths above the beach in Lundin Links this moss forms bright green patches. Likely to be sandhill screw-moss (Syntrichia ruralis)
Bryum capillare in the above photo growing on a fallen tree trunk in the Serpentine Walk and in the bottom photo on the top of a wall. Characteristic spore capsules.

Not sure of the identification but attractive reddish coloured spore capsules possibly Tortula muralis.
The lighter coloured moss is I think grey cushion moss (Grimmia pulvinata). Can just see the spore capsules.
A little piece of moss that the birds had taken off the roof, probably one of the feather mosses but not sure of the identification. Not sure why the birds pick the moss off as they leave it lying in the garden so not using it to line a nest. Maybe find insects underneath the moss?

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