Have you ever wondered about the carpet of spongy, wet greenery on the woodland floor, or strange, small cushions poking out of cracks in walls and pavements?
Called Bryophytes (incorporating Mosses, Liverworts and Hornworts), these tiny, insignificant looking plants can be easy to overlook and hard to identify, but their importance cannot be overstated – Bryophytes are the closest modern relatives of the pioneering ancestral plants that first escaped the sea and colonised land.
Their role in the environment remains highly important. Bryophytes are often the first plants to colonise recently disturbed land, allowing other plants to follow, and retain water, acting as mini-flood defences and also affording a supply of water to other organisms during dry spells.
If these wonderful plants sound interesting to you, why not come along to a free beginner’s session perfect for budding bryophiles? 29th April, 10am-4pm at Stonecourt classroom in Carshalton.
An introduction to the marvellous world of mosses and liverworts.
The day will involve an indoor study session looking at the field characters and life cycles of these fascinating plants, followed by an outdoor session looking at the common species found in the local area. The tutor for the day will be bryologist, Peter Howarth.
To book, please visit: http://37.188.117.158/suttonecology/
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April 13, 2017 at 8:19 pm
Nothing to do with mosses though I do really appreciate them. I have noticed this spring that we have a nest of completely black small bumblebees this year. In 35years here I don’t remember seeing this species before. They have orange pollen sacs on the hind legs.