Bryophyte Survey Ganllwyd

Sporophyte of Ulota coarctata

An oceanic epiphyte, Ulota coarctata (Club Pincushion) was considered to be extinct in Wales during the compilation of the recent national Red List when the only records were from Nantcol ravine (1911), Tyddyn y Felin (1914) and Ganllwyd (1888). After an absence of over a century, it has just been refound at the latter site during a survey commissioned by Natural Resources Wales, on willow in very humid woodland within a small stream valley, near to other oceanics such as Adelanthus decipiens, Colura calyptrifolia, Harpalejeunea molleri and Plagiochila exigua. In recent years, the plant been turning up at scattered spots in southern England, which hopefully indicates an upward trend for the species.