*1: Mine waste on
roadside W. of Lanner, SE. of Redruth, SW7139, 1963, JAP
(BM) (Paton 1969a: 716, 1976: 173, Hill 1978:
17).
*2: Ancient track in a
large area of mine waste, NE. of Minions, N. of Liskeard,
SX2672, 1965, JAP (BBSUK; BM – holotype)
(Paton 1969a: 716, 1976: 173, Hill 1978:
17).
Known only in Cornwall and SW. Ireland (one site in
Co. Cork: Holyoak & Lockhart 2009). See Holyoak et al. (2000) for details of status,
habitats, substrates and associated plants.
Other habitat notes from Cornwall are as follows.
At Minions in Oct.-Dec. 1997: forming lawns up to 5 cm across
on patches of partly bare soil among sparse Agrostis tenuis on
flat area of old mine-spoil. Soil on partly-bare edges of path
in old mine spoil, unshaded, near Ceratodon purpureus
and Pohlia
annotina. Elsewhere, several patches on mainly bare stony
soil of ridge formed where ditch recently dug in mine spoil;
unshaded; with little Trichodon cylindricus
and Pohlia
annotina. At Crow's Nest in Nov. 1997: on earthy,
near-vertical mine-spoil exposed in bank facing west, almost
unshaded; near to Pohlia annotina, also
Cephaloziella
massalongi and bit of Scopelophila
cataractae close by. Also on thin soil over mine-spoil on
edges of tracks and on ditch clearance debris. NE. of Crow's
Nest, Jan. 1998: on thin silty soil (near vertical) among
boulders at steep base of S.-facing bank of mine-spoil,
unshaded (associates include Bryum pallens). Also
at Crow's Nest, small amounts with
other low bryophytes in earthy crevices in stone walls.
Elsewhere at Minions and Crow's Nest associates often include
Ceratodon
purpureus.
Chemical analyses of its substrates at
sites in
East Cornwall show it consistently
tolerates high to very high levels of Cu, whereas levels of Pb
and Zn were low to rather high. All substrates investigated
were acidic.
Analyses of substrates from
locality in Cornwall (metal
concentrations given as µg/g dry
weight):
LOCALITY |
(N samples) |
Cu |
Pb |
Zn |
pH |
Source |
Minions, vc2 |
(5) |
151-1400 |
13-49 |
13-41 |
5.5-5.8 |
Holyoak et
al. (2000) |
*Minions, vc2 |
(4) |
1428-1800 |
78-401 |
78-172 |
5.2-5.4 |
Walsh (2001) |
Crow's Nest, vc2 |
(4) |
1676-3220
|
32-597 |
112-368 |
5.3-6.0 |
Walsh
(2001) |
*Analyses from different sites to
those reported by Holyoak et al.
(2000).
Tubers always present. Only male plants known, so
capsules unknown.