In winter, mosses and liverworts often provide some of the most vibrant new green new plant growth: this is their season. These are a few species that I've encountered in recent weeks.
MOSSES
One of the commonest and easiest-identified mosses, with leaves all curved in one direction. This one was growing on the top of a fence post in Teesdale.
Hart's-tongue thyme-moss Plagiomnium undulatum.
Unusually large leaves for a moss, with an undulating surface. Growing on the woodland floor beside the river Tees at Egglestone
Silky wall feather-moss Homalothecium sericeum
Often found growing on shady wall tops, but this specimen was on a rotting fallen tree in woodland at Egglestone in Teesdale.
LEAFY LIVERWORTS
Bifid crestwort Lophocolea bidentata
On a damp, shady retaining wall at Hexham in Northumberland
Greater featherwort Plagiochila asplenioides
On the woodkand floor at Egglestone in Teesdale.
THALLOID LIVERWORTS
Forked veilwort Metzgeria furcata
Growing on the fork of a sycamore trunk, where rain trickles down from the branches, at Egglestone in Teesdale. The bifurcating thallus has a central rib.
Crescent-cup liverwort Lunularia cruciata
Growing on concrete beside a drain on the path around our house. Moon-shaped cupules on the thallus are filled with buds (gemmae), each of which will grow into a new liverwort when washed out by rain.
Great scented liverwort aka snakewort Conocephalum conicum. The polygonal pattern on the thallus surface and raised air pores are very distinctive. On a damp, shady retaining wall at Hexham in Northumberland
In winter the tips of the thallus extend into branching lobes. On a damp, shady retaining wall at Hexham in Northumberland
Common liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. Cupules on the surface full of gemmae, like tiddy-winks, that are splashed out by raindrops. Growing around a drain on the edge of the footpath from the Bailey to Prebends bridge in Durham city.
