Another post from my trip to Scotland in January for the Temple of Prog! As I climbed toward the Grey Mares Tail gorge I was struck by the bryophyte dominated nature of the upland heath.
I found many fun mosses I've never seen before and have yet to ID, but the site was striking for a very consistent core community dominated by common haircap (Polytrichum commune), glittering wood moss (Hylocomium splendens)...also known as mountain fern moss... and red stemmed feather moss (Pleurozium shreberi), mixed in with sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina) and wavy hair grass (Deschampsia flexuosa) (amongst heather (Calluna vulgaris) and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus).
I think as I was not yet at 250m, I may have been looking at NVC community H12 Calluna vulgaris- Vaccinium myrtillus heath maybe in transition to the higher altitude H18 Vaccinium myrtillus - Deschampsia flexuosa heath. That is however a guess based on very limited data and in which i make assumptions that some members of these communities are missing due to a history of overgrazing.





This liverwort is either Atlantic or Hatchers paw wort (Barbilophozia atlantica/hatcheri). Microscopic differentiation is required but a distinguishing feature is the presence of red gemmae at the end of the stem, which seems to form the claws of the over turned "paw".
Of open, upland habitats to the north and west.
Grey Mares Tail, Moffat Hills 2025
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