Mosses at Henfield

The Henfield Field Meeting is way out of the Uckfield area but most of what I learnt will apply closer to home.  Brad and others generously shared their knowledge with the rest of the group and these notes cover just a few of the species of moss that we found. Identification is quite tricky but there is much to enjoy in the different shapes and textures of these tiny plants.

After gathering in the car park we crossed the London Road and headed down Cagefoot Lane.

Didymodon Insulanus (Cylindric Beard Moss)

The first stop was by a seat by a mossy area of asphalt. Surprisingly many mosses colonise this type of surface.  The Didymodon Insulanus has:

• quite long leaves
• an almost swirling appearance 

Homalothecium sericeum (Silky Wall Feather-moss)

Next stop was an old wall. On the opposite site of the lane was a hedge with light-coloured violets at its feet. I was fascinated by the patterns made by the shapes and patterns made by the Homalothecium sericeum on the richly textured old wall.

Bryum capillare (Capillary Thread-moss)

In complete contrast to the sprawling feather moss was the neat little cushion of Bryum capillare shown above.

Blue Plaque commemorating William Borrer

According to the Sussex Botanical Recorders Society's newletter notes:

William Borrer is one of the most important Sussex botanists, and his vascular plant records and introductions in the Henfield area are well known. Though we have some of his bryophyte records in the county, there are none for Henfield.

Hopefully today's meeting will have fixed that!

The mossy grass by the pond with Borrer's house in the background

In the mossy grass by the pond we found two common lawn mosses:

• Calliergonella cuspidata (Pointed Spear-moss) - a feathery moss with red "stems" and spear-like ends to its branches
• Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus (Springy Turf Moss) - it too had red stems, but its leaves were bent back, which to me, made it looked like so many pipe cleaners

Polytrichum juniperinum (Juniper Haircap)

In the grounds of a care home, there were some wonderful old trees with mossy trunks. In the grass, we found patches of Polytrichum juniperinum, whose brown-tipped leaves helped us identify it.

Then we made our way down Blackgate Lane and found a patch of asphalt that was covered in brownish Didymodon nicholsonii (Nicholson’s Beard-moss). The Nicholson of the name was a botanist from Lewes. The leaves are quite stiff and translucent and the ends are shaped like the prow of a ship.

As we made our way down lanes and paths, the buildings of the village gave way to farmland. Surprisingly, we even found mosses in fields that had been used to grow corn on the cob.

Atrichum undulatum (Catherine's Moss)

I was very pleased when I found a moss myself, even if I did totally misidentify it!. The Atrichum undulatum has wavy leaves and, as can be seen from the photo, a distinctive upright fruiting body.

Hazel catkins dancing in the wind.

We lunched in a sheltered corner and I enjoyed chatting to the others and watching the hazel catkins dancing in the wind.  After this, I and one or two others decided to go back while the rest continued with the field meeting.