*1: Near Hayle, 1842,
WC (NMW) (Paton 1969a:
701).
*2: Bare soil, derelict
mines, Sevenstones, Hingston Down, Callington, Dec. 1962, JAP
(BBSUK) (Paton 1963: 488, 1969a:
701).
Forming mats, often extensive and pure. Habitat
notes from Cornwall are as follows. On thin soil on unshaded
spoil of copper mines, on flat ground and on banks, paths,
track edges, often in barer patches of heathy areas with
sparse Calluna
vulgaris. Also on 'soil' in crevices of walls built from
or retaining mine-spoil. On sandy and clayey, unshaded
mine-spoil and banks of streams and ditches draining old mine
areas. Common associates on old metalliferous mining ground
include Cephaloziella
divaricata, Ceratodon purpureus,
Dicranella varia,
Diplophyllum
albicans, Gymnocolea inflata, Solenostoma
gracillimum, Pohlia
annotina, Scapania
compacta, less often Barbula convoluta, Conocephalum conicum,
Cephaloziella
massalongi, Cephaloziella
nicholsonii, Didymodon vinealis, Lophozia bicrenata, Lophozia excisa, Pohlia andalusica, Pseudocrossidium
hornschuchianum, Scopelophila
cataractae; higher plants present close by commonly
include Agrostis
tenuis and Calluna
vulgaris. Unshaded soil in old mine areas on top of
exposed sea-cliff and above stream bank near coast. Clay soil
on bank near active china clay quarry. On thin soil over
serpentinite rock in small old quarry near exposed sea-cliff
edge, unshaded (with Trichostomum
brachydontium). With other low bryophytes on soil (over
slaty and serpentinite rock) on slopes and tops of exposed
sea-cliffs, in areas of short vegetation e.g. at path edges
(associates Archidium
alternifolium, Campylopus
introflexus, Lophozia excisa, Trichostomum
brachydontium). Intermixed in tufts of Campylopus introflexus
on thin soil at edge of rock in open area on heath. On damp
clay or gravelly substrates of tracks on and beside heaths,
with Archidium
alternifolium, Entosthodon
obtusus.
Commonly with gemmae. Commonly cper: antheridia +
archegonia, but no per 11, 12; antheridia and young per in 1,
7, 11, 12; well grown perianths 1-5, 7, 8, [11 old],
12.
Frequently c.fr.: immature 1, 3, dehiscing 1, 3,
dehisced 1.
Chemical analyses of its substrates
show it can tolerate high levels of Cu, Pb and Zn at Cornish
localities:
Analyses of substrates from
localities in Cornwall
(metal concentrations given as µg/g dry
weight):
LOCALITY (N samples) Cu
Pb
Zn
pH
Source
Chyverton, vc1 (6)
452-1120
5464-11025
2304-16166
4.1-6.5
Rouen
(2000)
Dolcoath
Road, vc1
(6)
1678-3450
56-90
240-723
5.2-6.8
Rouen
(2000)
W. Bassett, vc1 (4)
1316-3039
35-65
31-78
5.1-5.9
Rouen
(2000)
