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Post by faith on Sept 18, 2015 12:31:22 GMT
I'm inclined to divide mosses simply into 'seen it before' and 'haven't seen it before'. This is one of the latter I think so Vince, I'd appreciate your help (or that of anyone else who knows). There was just a small patch of it on a woodland bank, in a wilder part of a pine plantation, and it caught my eye as being glossier than its surroundings.  moss4 by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr |
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Post by stigofthedump on Sept 18, 2015 19:03:38 GMT
I'm afraid not from that image Faith, no offence. I'm not even convinced it is a moss but in fact a leafy liverwort.. But if you have the specimen all may not be lost.
Try this key. It is OK, its not conclusive but will in general get you there or very close. It is free to download. Each species in the key can be downloaded as a PDF to check against the possible determination.
Much easier than those blooming flowering plants  /*
www.bbsfieldguide.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdfs/otherpdfs/%20BBS%20Field%20Guide%20Field%20Key.pdf
Vince |
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Post by faith on Sept 18, 2015 20:05:16 GMT
I have the book actually – I simply hoped it might be so easy you could just tell me what it was! That's how lazy one gets when ID websites are available. I have the specimen, and will go through the key as I should have done in the first place.
I admit that key is shorter than, say, Stace's general key, but as for it being easier . . .
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Post by stigofthedump on Sept 18, 2015 20:42:31 GMT
I have the book actually – I simply hoped it might be so easy you could just tell me what it was! That's how lazy one gets when ID websites are available. I have the specimen, and will go through the key as I should have done in the first place. I admit that key is shorter than, say, Stace's general key, but as for it being easier . . . Believe me Faith, my go to key is Smiths Moss Flora, Stace is a minefield compared to it. So you have the BBS key. Fantastic. As an exercise would you consider taking your specimen through the key here? It would be a great opportunity to show folk how dichotomous keys work.
Vince |
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Post by faith on Sept 19, 2015 8:04:57 GMT
I have Watson too, which someone gave me their old copy of, but as yet I have never even dared to open it! OK, I will see how it goes with the BBS key and if I seem to be having some success I will put it on here.
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Post by faith on Sept 19, 2015 16:38:39 GMT
You are right, it is a liverwort – but that's as far as I can get. There is no midrib; that's what suggests it's a liverwort. The leaves are about 3mm long, and translucent; they are elliptical and seem to have entire margins – no lobes, serrations, notches or anything like that. They seem to be in more than two rows, but exactly how many I can't figure out, nor precisely how they attach to the stem. The problem may be that I only have a 'pocket' microscope, that goes up to 40x. Am I wasting my time without a proper microscope? I have never felt I really needed one for vascular plants (although certain people obviously thrive on them!) As far as flowering plants are concerned, I am a great believer in learning general principles – monocots v dicots for example, and characteristics of different families, but I can't seem to get a handle on bryophytes in the same way. Help! Here is a blown-up image, by the way. I am not much of a photographer either, and every time I blew it up it seemed to get darker and darker.  moss more blown up by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr |
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Post by stigofthedump on Sept 20, 2015 10:18:24 GMT
No faith it looks like I was wrong. Given your last post I think we are looking at Hookeria lucens, I could still be wrong, they can be awkward to decipher from photos. ( my cop-out clause ) I think I might have unfairly persuaded you to look at the leafy liverworts barring all else. My fault.
Any how have a look and see if we are any further forward. As for your question re equipment. I started off with nothing more than a hand lense....your microscope should be OK but..............lighting is your biggest challange.
Vince |
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