*1: In rather bare
areas over old, rocky mine-spoil, unshaded but sheltered by
Gorse bushes, Lower Carnkie, SW64, 1996, DTH 96-257
(BBSUK, DTH) (Long 1997:
39-40).
*2: Slaty soil in
quarry, E. of Withiel, Bodmin, 1963, JAP
(BBSUK) (Corley 1983:
49).
The large majority of post-1950 British
records are fromCornwall, including all sites
currently known to hold the species. Easily overlooked in the
field because it is small even for a Cephaloziella, and
tends to grow as very short, open turfs as a colonist on small
patches of bare substrates, rather than forming the procumbent
mats of shoots typical of well-grown (and commonly fertile)
material of the congeners that often grow nearby. Under the
microscope the angular gemmae provide the first indication of
its presence. Of the Cephaloziella recorded
in similar habitats, only C. calyculata has
similar gemmae, but that species is normally much larger in
all vegetative parts and lacks any red or brown secondary
pigementation, besides differing in characters of the
perianth-mouth and bracts.
Recent records from ca 15 sites in vc1 and
four in vc2 are all from old metalliferous mine sites, on
mainly rather thin 'soil' over old mine-spoil that is at least
sometimes copper-contaminated. Mainly recorded from unshaded
places, less often from those lightly shaded (by Calluna vulgaris or by
wall and Salix
cinerea bushes, also once sheltered but not much shaded by
tall Ulex
europaeus). Once close to base of large galvanised-iron
building. Twice on thin 'soil' in crevices of old walls
retaining mine-spoil. Associated species include other small
bryophytes of similar open habitats, among them Cephaloziella
divaricata,
Cephaloziella stellulifera, Ceratodon purpureus, Dicranella varia
and Pohlia
annotina, with Bryoerythrophyllum
ferruginascens, Bryum dichotomum, Bryum pallens, Didymodon
tophaceus,
Ditrichum cornubicum, Ditrichum lineare
and Conocephalum
conicum at one site each. The copper-tolerant Cephaloziella
massalongi, C. nicholsonii and Pohlia andalusica were
also in similar habitats close by at several
sites.
Found alone as small pure lawns and in small
amounts in low 'turf' of Leptobarbula berica at
Okeltor Mine near Calstock, on silty or sandy mine-spoil on
top and ledges of low ruined walls at base of bank, an
association that implies a calcareous substrate was present,
but also present on flat ground nearby with acidophilous
associates. Also on thin 'soil' over old concrete at Porkellis
Moor, as well as on sandy substrates
nearby.
Gemmae present on all gatherings examined and
mainly common. Frequently cper, perianths present (but often
rather few): 1, 9-11. Occasionally c.fr.: immature 3,
dehiscing 3, dehisced 3.
