Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 36 (2000)

Suffolk Natural History, Vol. 36 64

Notes on Suffolk Bryophytes in 1999

One of the most interesting aspects of bryology in Suffolk is the frequent occurrence of certain species, most of them epiphytes, regarded as rare only a few years ago. The moss Cryphaea heteromalla has now been recorded over thirty times in the past nine years. It has never been regarded as common in the county and during their Spring meeting in Suffolk in 1981 the British Bryological Society, despite intensive recording, failed to find it. The liverwort Frullania dilata is now known from over fifty sites and the moss Ulota phylantha not recorded in VC25 until 1990 and not seen in VC26 for over fifty years has been found eleven times.

In a recent Bryological Journal a German bryologist considered whether bryophytes could act as indicators of global warming. He reported that since 1985 26 species with a Mediterranean or Mediterranean-Atlantic distribution were seen in Central Europe for the first time. It is unlikely that all of these could have been overlooked in the past. Other factors are undoubtedly involved in the changes in our county but this is an interesting idea.

The liverwort Lophocolea semiteres has been found in additional locations including Chelmondiston and Stoke by Nayland, it is obviously well established. David Strauss discovered Fossombronia wondraczekii, another liverwort new to the county, at Wolves Wood and he continues to add to the impressive list from Dunwich Heath/Minsmere with Dicranum majus and D. fuscescens. Other additions are Amblytstegium tenax and Fissidens pusillus from Chilton Street. Interesting species re-found in VC26 after a very long interval include Aloina rigida, Microbryum rectum, Syntrichia papillosa and Ulota phyllantha.

Richard Fisk 1 Paradise Row Ringsfield Beccles Suffolk. NR34 8LQ