Page:VCH Herefordshire 1.djvu/107

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BOTANY characteristic of limestone and sandstone formations. The latter attains an altitude of upwards of 2,000 ft. in the Black Mountain. There we find sub-alpine conditions, as also to some extent in those wooded hills which occur over large areas in the north and north-west. Mention must also be made of the shaded conglomerate rock on the borders of the Forest of Dean. A notable feature of the county is the River Wye, which, like the smaller Lugg and Arrow, drains pastoral lands diversified by frequent hills and woods. These, briefly, comprise the main features of interest to the bryologist. Since in every county there are a number of generally common mosses, it would seem sufficient to give here a list of rare and interesting species recorded for Herefordshire. The nomenclature is that adopted in the second •edition of Mr. Dixon's excellent Handbook of British Mosses. Sphagna. Five common species occur locally Pogonatum nanum, P. Beauv. Rather rare Polytrichum alplnum, L. Occa- sionally in the Black Mt. — gracile, Dicks. Moseley Mere, in small quantity Diphyscium foliosum, Mohr. Nr. Kingion and in B/aek Mt. Rare Archidium alternifolium, Schp. Occasionally in wet meadows and heathy banks Pleuridium. The three species are found in the county Ditrichum tenuifolium, Lindb. On mud by a pond, Moccas (Rev. A. Ley). Rare Seligeria Doniana, C. M. Gt. Dozaard and Carey Wood in 1890 and 1893 (Ley) — pusilla, B. & S. and S. acutifolia, Lindb. Shady limestone on the Dowards ; Ley, 1891, 1898 Erachyodus trichodes, Ftlrnr. Black Mt. Rare EJiabdowesia fugax, B. & S. In one or two stations in the Black Mt. in 1880 and 1886 (Ley) Cynodontium Bruntoni, B. & S. Locally abundant in the south of the county on sand- stone and conglomerate rocks Dicranella secunda, Lindb. Very rare. Grove Wood, Pembridge (Crouch) — Schreberi, Schp. Rather rare. Bare earth and river banks Dicranum fuscescens, Turn. On sandstone and conglomerate rocks. Confined to the Ross district — Scottianum, Turn. Conglome- rate rocks. Huntsham Hill, 1889 Fissidens incurvus, /? tamarindi- folius, Braithw. On damp clay of a river-bank at Caplor, 1 891 (Ley) Grimmia apocarpa, /3 alpicola, H. & T. Rocks in iJ. Wye, Bredwardine — subsquarrosa, Wils. The 'North Hill, Malvern, 1887 (Ley) Grimmia Doniana, Sm. One station in the Black Mt. (Ley) — commutata, Hubn. Common on stone roofs principally in the west of the county. The same applies to Or. leuco- phaea, Grev. — montana, B. & S. In several districts there occurs a Grim- mia which must be referred to this species, but it is not typical Rhacomitria. Five species are found, more especially in the Black Mt. district Hedwigia ciliata, y viridis, B. & S. A somewhat robust, dark green form occurs covering old stone roofs here and there in the west Phascum Floerkeanura, W. & M. Very rare. On bare soil near Mordiford, 1880 (Ley) — curvicolle. Not uncommon on limestone Pottia caespitosa, C. M. This rare and distinct species occurs at Fownhope and Shucknall. Per- haps the most interesting of the Herefordshire mosses, as it occurs elsewhere only in Sussex Tortula ' pusilla. Mitt. Rare. A very interesting form occurs at Breinton — cuneifolia. Roth. On stiff soil and banks in sunny situa- tions in the west of the county, Eardisley, Breinton, Moccas Scaur. — Vahliana, Wils. Rare. Occa- sionally associated with the last-mentioned. On ant- hill on Gt. Dozuard, 1889 (Ley). Breinton 3.-s&. Bishop- stone — marginata. Spruce. On shady rocks and stones, chiefly sand- stone. Rare and local. King's Caple, Sellack, Gt. Doward (Ley) — subulata, /8 inermis, Wils. Very rare. On a willow, nr. Hereford (Ley) 1 Dixon's Handbook (ed. 2), p. 193. 55 Tortula angustata, Wils. Rare King's Caple (Ley). Breinton. Hedge-banks Barbula rubella, Mitt. dentata, Schp. In the gorge of the Teme, Downton, 1889 (Ley) — gracilis, Schw. Nash Scar, nr. Presteign, on stony ground, and sparsely in a few other localities. Not common, but easily overlooked Weisia crispa. Mitt. On bare ground. Gt. Doward, and nr. Hereford (J^ty). Eardisley — multicapsularis. Mitt. Very rare. Fownhope, 1887 (Ley) — squarrosa, C. M. Cwm-y-oy, 1874 (Ley). Cwmma Moor, Eardisley. On bare soil and on ant-hills in plenty — crispata, CM. Apparently rare. Nash Scaur, Presteign, on dry limestone rock — tenuis, C. M. Sandstone, St. Weonards, Sellack, and Gt. Doward (Ley) — calcarea, C. M. Gt. Doward, Backbury. Fruiting at the Doward in 1892 (Ley) Pleurochaete squarrosa, Lindb. Gt. Doward, on stony ground. Rare Encalypta ciliata, Hoffm. On mountain rocks. Occurs in two Herefordshire localities in the Black Mt. (Ley) — streptocarpa, Hedw. Fertile on Gt. Doward, 1884 (Ley) Ulotae. Scarcely more than traces of the commoner species Orthotrichum rivulare. Turn. Not common. Rocks by R. Wye — Sprucei, Mont. Plentiful on trees on banks of R. Wye — tenellum, Bruch. Rare. On trees — obtusifolium, Schrad. Very rare. On trees (Ley) Schistostega osmundacea, Mohr. Rare and very local. Red sandstone conglomerate, Hope Mansel (Ley) Funaria calcarea, Wahl. Rare. Little Doward and Backbury (Ley) Bartramia Oederi, Swartz. Black Mt. (Ley)