*1: Marazion Marsh,
1844, AG (PNZ) (Paton 1969a:
749).
*2: Near Trehane,
Probus, 1857, ES (TRU) (Paton 1969a:
749).
A common species occupying a very wide range of
mainly moist or wet unshaded habitats, mainly where more or
less basic. Habitat notes from C&S are as follows. Stony
or clayey soil on and beside little-used tracks, e.g. in old
quarries, on old metalliferous mine sites, in spruce
plantation, in churchyards. Soil of gravelly clearing in
woodland, persisting to form carpet among sparse grasses and
low herbs, unshaded to moderately shaded. Over old concrete on
paths, in churchyards, gardens, and among ruins. Gravel of car
park. Abundant over old crumbling tarmac of sheltered lane.
Often plentiful in lawns and other short grasslands e.g. on
roadside verges a few years old, especially in damp or humid
situations such as near streams or where partly shaded, or on
heavy water-retentive soils, but also e.g. on calcareous
sands. With other mosses in open and well shaded in old slate
quarries. Often common as colonist on clayey banks, slopes,
flat surfaces, in wet hollows and on tracks in and around
working china clay quarries (common associates include Brachythecium
rutabulum,
Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, also with Bryum alpinum, Cirriphyllum
piliferum,
Drepanocladus aduncus, Philonotis fontana).
Abundant in flat patches and wefts on thin film of damp clay
on vertical concrete of wall of ruin, lightly shaded (with Didymodon fallax, Dicranella varia). On
vertical masonry and at bases of mortared walls, on and near
dumped calcareous masonry, not uncommon growing directly on
old damp concrete. Bits or more extensive patches (often with
Brachythecium
rivulare or Calliergon
cordifolium) on wet floor of old Grey Willow
carrs, sometimes where moderately to heavily shaded in summer.
Occasionally dominant over tens of square metres in open
acidic mires, perhaps where somewhat eutrophicated. Also in
flush on river bank moderately shaded by deciduous woodland.
Plentiful at reservoir edges, with small amounts occurring
within inundation zones (e.g. with Climacium dendroides).
Also in the inundation zones beside pools on Lizard pen.
heathland. Plentiful among short vegetation on wet ground in
mire by Ruan Pool. In open parts of fen near stream on heath.
In open parts of mires, especially where flushed or near
springs, but usually absent from open oligotrophic mires with
sphagna and no flushing (associates recorded include Sarmentypnum
exannulatum). Bit among wet fern tussocks inside swampy
woodland. Often abundant in flushes above sea-cliffs. On blown
sand of slope near coast, with low grasses. Not usually found
in exposed coastal localities, but seen on soil in short
grassland of quarry on slope above exposed sea-cliff. Other
frequent associates include Brachythecium
rivulare, Campylium
stellatum,
Cratoneuron filicinum, Didymodon fallax, Didymodon
insulanus,
Drepanocladus aduncus, Calliergonella
lindbergii,
Pseudoscleropodium purum, grasses (e.g. Agrostis stolonifera)
and varied herbs.
Rarely/occasionally c.fr. (three recent records in
vc1 and three in vc2, all from shallow water in sheltered
places: three of them in acid pools or wet ground in heathy
areas, one of these sites near old mine spoil; dune-slack
pool; edge of stream in Grey Willow scrub): capsules immature
4, 5; dehiscing 5.
