I know this title is misleading, but that’s how I began this series so I guess I am stuck with it. From below the cotton wool fluffy skirts of the Common Liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha subsp ruderalis) female archegonial heads have now appeared these little lemon coloured egg-shaped pods. They are the mature sporophytes, and they are packed with microscopic spores waiting for the right conditions to pop to ensure the future of the species.
I am at the extremes of my camera and macro lens in trying to show these mature sporophytes. I have had to crop these images to get closer, especially when you consider each yellow pod is around 0.5mm across. Notice in the image directly above how one of these pods have gone ‘pop’, leaving it in tatters, yet releasing a new future generation of plants via its release of spores.
Please click on the images for a larger more detailed view.
Following on from a previous blog, these female reproductive structures of the Common Liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha subsp ruderalis) are now showing the white cotton candy-like sporophytes beneath the umbrella-like archegonial heads. These are the spore capsules which when released may germinate into new plants.
And all this going on in a small plant pot with only moss (those orange structures forming part of the background) and this liverwort.
Please click on the images for a larger more detailed view.
Not quite 😉 These are the maturing female archegonial heads of the Common Liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha subsp ruderalis). These are for sexual reproduction of the liverwort.
To get an idea of the scale of these small umbrella-like growths note the moss growing in the background. I am half expecting to see a famous moustached Italian plumber dressed in a bright red and blue uniform wearing a red cap with a big ‘M’ on it to come bottom bouncing into the frame.
Click on Common Liverwort to see more images and to learn more about this plant.
I have a small plant pot by my water butt which has some liverwort growing in it last time I looked. This time I looked it had something else growing in it, this rather untidy looking yet delightful moss. Note the long, swan-neck seta.
Back from the weekly shop and there has been a break in the clouds. Barely packed away and I have my camera in hand. I love seeing how the rain enlivens and refreshes everything, it is just my thing 🙂 An odd title for this post I know, but this patch of green just off my front driveway measures around 4×2 inches (100x50mm). I am like a little kid again seeing things for the first time, wide-eyed and full of amazement at how wonderful and beautiful nature is, and I hope I never lose this feeling of wonderment and magic.
At worm’s eye view I can see at least four different species of moss, and maybe two species of lichen (please click the image for higher quality). All this within about 8 square inches, and growing on concrete. We pass by so much each day of our lives without always seeing what is write under our noses, and I am as guilty as many for this. It is so nice just to be able to stop the wheel of modern living even just for a few revolutions, or even just to slow it down a little, and focus our senses and minds on something that has been there all along, and to enjoy it!
This is a cushion moss which grows on a patch of concrete near my driveway. It is called Grey-cushioned Grimmia (Grimmia pulvinata). Note the grey-white hairy tips which gives this moss its name. Image taken February 2017, front drive, Staffordshire. Please click image for better resolution.
These are all images of the same species of moss growing on my garage roof. In its hydrated form it is fresh and vibrant with its leaves open as in the above image.
In these images it is dry to getting hydrated. It is quite amazing to watch how moss instantly gathers water when but a few drops are sprinkled on a dry mat of it. Within seconds it plumps up and begins to green or yellow up.
I believe the image below shows newly formed growth.
My garage roof has steadily succumbed to a covering of this wonderful moss over the years, which makes it look a lot more interesting than just covered in tiny white shards of gravel. I decide to get the ladders out and have a close look-see, and amidst the open shoots which the recent rain has brought forth, are newer leaves ready to open up.
A variable species of moss which form cushions or patches which vary in colouration from yellow to mid-green through red to purplish brown. The reddish-brown capsules are fairly common.
It occurs on a wide range of acidic and well-drained substrates. It is frequent in heathland and acidic grassland, on walls and roofs, and may even be found growing on rocks, fence posts, old bones and old boots. Common and widespread.
This is a bright, golden green moss which forms loose cushions or extensive tufts which are 1-2cm high. The leaves are 4-6mm long, blunt-tipped with a long excurrent silvery hair-like point. When moist the leaves strongly curve away from the stem giving the shoot a star-like appearance. Capsules are rare.
Found on calcareous substrates on walls, rocks and sandy ground, and on old thatch. Common and widespread.
I have had this moss growing on my garage roof for years, and it has virtually covered all of it. It shrivels up to a brown crisp in very dry weather, and yet as soon as a drop of rain falls it immediately expands like a sponge and greens up.
A dull green to golden green moss which grows in tufts or loose cushions. The stems grow to a height of 1 to 4cm. The leaves are about 4mm long and are slightly narrowed at the halfway point, the lower margin having recurved margins. The tip is rounded and flat. The leaves spread out widely from the stem when wet, and when dry they are spirally twisted or incurved. Dry leaves may also appear pointed, making them seem tapered at the tip instead of rounded. The reddish-brown nerve projects from the leaf tip into a long, silvery white hair point which has small, coarse teeth. The capsules are cylindrical and erect, ripening to a reddish-brown colour. They appear in spring and summer, and are frequent.
Found on calcareous substrates such as roofs, calcareous rocks and walls. Also found on sunny, exposed stony ground. Common and widespread in most of lowland Britain, scarcer elsewhere.
This is a bright, yellow-green moss which forms cushions or tufts on substrates. The shoots are around 0.5-2cm high and have spreading leaves. The leaves are up to 1.5mm long and have a shortly tapered tip. Capsules are rare, but when they do occur they are usually in abundance. The leaves around the base of the seta (spore-bearing stem), enfold it, hence the scientific name ‘convoluta‘.
Found on paths, in gardens, fields and on walls. Common and widespread.
This moss has regularly branched, roughly triangular pinnate shoots 1-2cm long. Robust woodland forms have bi- to tripinnate patterns and are larger. Stem leaves are 1-5mm long, and differ in shape from branch leaves. The stem leaves are triangularly heart-shaped with a fine elongated tp which often turns outwards. Branch leaves are about 1mm long, egg-shaped with a shorter tip, and finely toothed with a single nerve. The capsules are fairly frequent and are about 2mm long with a beaked lid.
It is found on banks, in turf, on soil in woodland, on logs and at the base of trees and on branches. It may also appear in lawns. Common and widespread throughout.
Also called ‘Common Smoothcap’, this is a robust and distinctive species of moss. It has dark green, narrow pointed leaves up to 1cm long on stems which can grow up to 7cm long. The leaf margins have paired teeth, and are distinctly undulate when moist, crisp when dry. Spore capsules are 3-4mm long with a very long pointed beak.
It can form quite extensive patches in shaded woodland, heaths and on banks. Very common and widespread throughout Britain.
Mosses and liverworts are plants which belong to a group called the Bryophytes, which are the oldest land plants on earth and have been around for some 400 million years. Bryophytes’ are tiny plants which are mainly green in colour and are flowerless, and which reproduce by spores and/or by asexual gemmae or tubers. There are three main taxonomic groups which are: Bryophyta (Mosses), Marchantiophyta (Liverworts) and Anthocerotophyta (Hornworts).
Rotting fence rail covered in moss
All these plants have evolved separately, and worldwide there are around 10,000 species of moss, 7,000 species of liverwort, and 200 species of hornwort. In Britain there are 763 species of moss, 300 species of liverwort, and just 4 species of hornwort. Most bryophytes have erect or creeping stems and tiny leaves, but hornworts and some liverworts have only a flat thallus and no leaves. Bryophytes have a two-stage life cycle. The gametophyte generation is the green photosynthetic part, where we see the green leafy plant we are mainly familiar with. Then there is the sporophyte generation which consists of a stalk and capsule which are dependent on the gametophyte for support and nutrients. The capsule when ripe releases thousands of tiny spores. Sexual reproduction occurs on the gametophyte generation and requires water for fertilisation. Many bryophytes also produce ‘gemmae’: tiny buds, discs or leaf fragments which spread the plants vegetatively.
Capillary Thread-moss (Bryum capillare)
Most Bryophytes can be seen all year round, and are therefore quite noticeable during the winter months. Many thrive in damp conditions, which is why Britain and Ireland have around two-thirds of European species, and some of our rarer species are globally rare. These extraordinary plants are like miniature forests, and are very important in sustaining the natural balance of ecosystems, and as primary pioneer species they help other plants and animals gain a foothold in the colonisation of new ground.
This moss forms dense tufts or mats, has distinctive red stems, and the way the shoots bend backwards gives the moss a star-like appearance. Fruiting is very rare.
Found on damp grass and banks in woodland, by streams and in marshes, and often in lawns. Common and widespread.
This is a medium-sized moss which may grow with other bryophytes, or may form patches of green, yellow-green, and occasionally orange-brown. The shoots are up to 3-8cm long or more. The main stem is usually erect with pinnately arranged branches. The leaves are closely rolled-up to form a smooth needle-like point. The stem leaves are 2-2.5mm long, bluntly rounded at the tip with a short double nerve.
Common in base-rich habitats like marshes, grasslands and amongst rocks. It also frequently occurs in lawns and relatively dry habitats such as chalk and limestone grassland. One of our commonest mosses and widespread throughout.
I came across this moss on a bank near my local river. Sadly, after some development work to the canal nearby, this has now all been buried. It is a dark green robust moss which branches little, has somewhat of a trailing nature, with 2-15cm long shoots which bear 4mm long leaves that are narrowly egg-shaped with a strong nerve ending in the tip. The leaf margins are heavily thickened, forming a distinct border from base to tip. When dry, the leaves are wavy or spirally twisted. Narrowly elliptical shaped capsules are frequent, but the seta is very short and often buried amongst the leaves.
Found on the banks and shores of rivers and lakes attached to submerged rocks, tree roots and stonework. Also found on limestone and siliceous rocks. It is most abundant in places where it may be subject to frequent inundation, but it cannot tolerate prolonged submersion. Common and widespread, especially in upland Britain.
This pale green liverwort forms large branching thalli up to 12mm wide. It is dotted with tiny air pores and has a shiny surface. It is covered in crescent-shaped cups which contain green, disc-like gemmae (reproductive parts), and is the only thallose liverwort to do so. Capsules are rare.
It is often found in gardens and greenhouses and treated as a weed. It particularly likes damp and shady places, and can also be found near the base of damp walls, near water courses, or on shaded soil. Very common and widespread throughout Britain.
Thickpoint Grimmia grows in rounded cushions or flat patches 1-3cm high. It usually looks quite hoary due to a hair point at the tip of the leaves. The capsules are largely hidden by the leaves that sheath them, but are reddish-brown, elongate and cylindrical.
This moss prefers calcareous walls, and can be found on blocks of limestone and base-rich sandstone. It can also be found on man-made substrates like tarmac, concrete and masonry in unshaded or partially shaded sites. Common and widespread throughout.
I have been watching this liverwort grow and spread in a plant pot on my decking with some interest. It also goes by the names of Mountain Liverwort and Star-headed Liverwort, and it is one of the largest thallose liverworts. It spreads and branches across substrates, and in younger plants it is pale or yellowish-green, becoming brown or purplish as it ages. Note how the plant is covered in conspicuous holes or air pores, and cup-shaped gemma receptacles. Male plants have stalked, flat-topped, disc-like receptacles with rounded lobes, whilst female receptacles are similar, but with lobes which are finger-like.
It can be seen all year round, with the reproductive structures appearing in June. This species is almost always found in man-made habitats, especially gardens, greenhouses, and garden nurseries where it can become a troublesome weed growing in plant pots. It is also found on waste ground, footpaths and brickwork, and also by streams and rivers. It is abundant and widespread throughout.
Sometimes called ‘Hedgehog Moss’, this moss forms compact cushions 1-2cm high of tiny leaves 3-4mm long which are grey-green and narrow. The pointed, whitish hair-tips of the leaves can sometimes give the moss a silvery appearance, which is a characteristic of the species and is very noticeable in drier weather. The capsules are oval which usually bend back into the cushion, although in dry weather they straighten. The lid of the capsule has a long beak.
It does particularly well in limestone areas on boulders, but because of its tolerance to pollution it does well in urban areas, found growing on walls, roofs or paving, including concrete or tarmac. It is found all year round. The commonest Grimmia in the UK, and widespread.
This can be quite an untidy-looking plant, especially when in abundance with long, 3-5cm swan-neck setae. The short 3-10mm green shoots form loose carpets. The egg-shaped leaves vary in size from 2-4mm long, and are translucent.
It is a colonist of bare, disturbed ground enriched with nutrients, and is particularly characteristic of old bonfire sites, hence its common name. Frequent and widespread throughout Britain.
This small to medium-sized moss forms neat yellow to green cushions up to 3cm high. The erect leaves are quite wavy when moist, and are about 2.5mm long. The leaf margins are narrowly recurved and it gradually tapers to a fine tip. Capsules are common, and are cylindrical and erect.
Occurs on trees, fences, thatch and on a variety of other organic substrates. Found on exposed rocks and old stone walls in hilly areas. Common and widespread throughout most of Britain.
A fairly distinctive medium-sized moss with bright green leaves which are 1cm long with a pointed tip which are arranged around the stems in a spiral fashion.
Found all year round in deciduous woodland, heaths and moorland. Frequent and widespread throughout.
Photographs taken January and March 2014, local wood, Staffordshire.
This familiar moss forms neat, low spreading cushions and tufts up to 1cm high. It has oval, round-tipped leaves 2-3.5mm long, which end in a fine, silvery hair-like excurrent nerve. The spore capsules are narrow and held upright, borne on 1-2cm long, thin stalks. They are yellow when young and turn reddish-brown as they ripen.
It can also tolerate some shade, and can be found growing on old brick walls and base-rich rocks. It also grows on concrete, roof tiles, and other man-made structures. It is less seldom seen growing on trees and wood. A very common and widespread species.
Photographs taken January and February 2014, front garden wall, Staffordshire.
A lush green spreading liverwort, where the gametophytic thallus is dichotomously branched, meaning that the shoot apex splits exactly in half during branching producing two equal branches. The liverwort is dioicious, meaning male and female gametes are formed on separate plants. The male structures are in purplish bumps near branch tips. The female structures are like tiny umbrellas growing to up to 10cm tall. Width 1 to 1.5cm. Length 20cm.
Found on damp, shaded stonework or rock structures, and in ditches, near streams and in damp woodland, forming large spreading carpets covering the surface. Common and widespread throughout Britain.
Photographs taken May and December 2012, local river, Staffordshire.
I photogrpahed this moss on a railway bridge at the entrance to a nature reserve. The white leaf tips make this moss quite distinctive. It grows in small tufts of narrow, upright shoots up to 1cm high, usually with abundant capsules. The leaves are 2.5-4mm long, and the capsules are 1.5mm long. Ripe capsules are light brown and slightly furrowed when old and dry.
Found on trees and shrubs, but also on rocks, concrete, brick walls and other inorganic structures. Very common and widespread throughout Britain.
Photographs February 2014, nature reserve, Staffordshire.
Moist and dry forms of the moss photographed on a nature reserve. Quite a distinctive moss forming small balled tufts on trees, growing up to 4cm tall. It has narrow leaves which carry tiny vegetative propagation structures called gemmea. Fruiting capsules tend to be very rare.
Found all year round growing on a wide range of trees. Uncommon but widespread.
Photographs taken January and February 2014, nature reserve, Staffordshire.
The leaves of this moss are tipped with a fine point. The drooping spore capsules are elongate-ovoid on long stalks. They are green ripening to brown. Height 3cm.
It grows in tufts or patches on walls, roofs and paving in urban areas, but also on rocks, woodland rides and grassland in the wild. It is found all year round. Common and widespread throughout Britain.
Photographs taken January 2014 and 2016, front driveway and local canal.
Nature Journeys 