Cell Howell

It's a bit of a trek south from Ceibwr Bay, Moylegrove to reach this rugged coast, but it's a bryological hot-spot and well worth the effort. Yesterday's mission was to refind Sam's first county record of Philonotis rigida, and his only one of Gymnomitrion concinnatum.

I couldn't find the latter at the recorded 12-figure grid reference, despite searching the Diplophyllum albicans patches over rock outcrops in the area. Fortunately, there were some good patches on an inclined slab further west. 

Gymnomitrion concinnatum

A drier outcrop below this flushed slab had a bonus in the shape of several tufts of Glyphomitrium daviesii, a new record for the site and only the third county record. It grows in the open on the rock here, in contrast to the holes on tors on Mynydd Preseli.

The Philonotis rigida was at Sam's grid reference, although now perhaps in a more vegetated area with Yorkshire fog, bramble and willow starting to close in over the shallow gully. I did some light gardening to help it along for another year or two.   

Philonotis rigida

Many of the shale boulders on these slopes have Coscinodon cribrosus, which comes in a confusing array of forms. In addition to the typical hoary cushions are small muticous plants with rounded leaves - Sam's flora describes these plants as male, but many were sporting ripening capsules.

Coscinodon cribrosus