Springtail moss fertilization

From wiki entry on Ceratodon purpureus

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Microarthropod-mediated fertilization

A 2012 study has found that male and female fire moss emit different and complex volatile organic scents. Female plants emit more compounds than male plants. Springtails were found to choose female plants preferentially, and the study found that springtails enhance moss fertilization. All together, the results seem to suggest a plant-pollinator relationship analogous to those found in flower plants

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British Bryophyte density

This slide nicked from a presentation/document by Dave Denney of SNH, who I think generated it from NBN. Some amazing density in more regions than I expected.

Chemical testing in mosses

Something I'm used to in the land of fungi, and maybe even in Lichens (though I have yet to do it), I didn't know that chemical tests can also be done on mosses. Trying to bring to ground a reddening moss from Carlingnose (which I fancy to be Didymodon fallax) I uncovered this little gem of a factoid from N.America.

Bryoerythrophyllum and Didymodon vinealis group test red with KOH, while Barbula test yellow!

Is it reasonable to assume that you are just speeding up the natural reddening process?

Carlingnose

Nice Racomitrium fasciculare and Warnstofria fluitans pair at Carlingnose point. Behind the same rock was this surprise Bryum pseudotriquetrum

R.fasciculare and W.fluitans

B.pseudtriquetrum

Schistidium apocarpum

I thought this was going to be a Racomitrium at first until I got it under the microscope. It was then that I saw the capsule and twigged. Note the hair-pointed perichaetal leaves versus the 'normal' leaf

Plagiomnium undulatum

Carlingnose. Common moss, but a nice one

Undulating, bordered and toothed

The rounded leaves that can cause confusion!

Strongly Decurrent leaf entry

Racomitrium aciculare

One of my favourite mosses, from its wriggly little leaf cells to its jaunty cap- this one from Blariadam Forest near Kelty in Fife.