*1: St Michael's Mount,
1844, AG (PNZ) (Paton 1969a:
728).
*2: Tintagel, 1960, JAP
(BBSUK) (Paton 1969a: 728). [Earlier report
(Tintagel, FB, in Holmes & Brent 1869) not supported by
specimen: Paton 1969a: 728].
Grows as cushions or tufts that sometimes increase
or merge to form larger patches. Restricted to the coast and
its immediate vicinity, where it occurs in small crevices and
on small ledges (on horizontal to vertical surfaces) of hard
rocks (including granitic, greenstone, serpentinite, shale and
slaty lithologies), in unshaded or sometimes lightly shaded
places. Mainly restricted to sea-cliffs, occurring at foot of
sheltered cliffs but reaching tops of tall exposed cliffs with
a few records also from quarried and other rocks (including
rocks in old 'hedges') above cliff tops. Also occurring
'inland' along tidal Helford
River and
beside estuary of R. Camel and other sheltered coastal inlets,
within a few metres above HWST level.
S.
maritimum sometimes shows a preference for sites on cliffs
with permanent trickles or flushes of freshwater, or at least
those where rainwater drainage is concentrated. Found once on
rocks in flood-zone along a small stream up to ca 100 m inland (Gew
Graze on Lizard). Often common, especially on N.-facing or
flushed cliffs, but unaccountably absent from some apparently
suitable places. Usually lacks closely associated bryophytes,
occurring in lower zone on sea-cliffs than any other moss,
although lichens such as Ramalina spp. are
often close by and Tortella flavovirens
may be in contact with it or closely adjacent. A single
atypical record from thin soil overlying shaly rock above
sea-cliff, growing with Weissia
sp.
Commonly cfr; capsules immature 1-4, 10-12;
dehiscing [1], 2-4; dehisced 2-4 [12
old].