Lichens

The lovely Physcia leptalea, scarce, localised and declining, a lichen of slightly base pH bark.

Reindeer Mosses Cladonia spp

Reindeer moss Cladonia rangiformis (below) can be distinguished from lookalike C. furcata by tasting it. The latter tastes bitter. Reindeer moss is a typical lichen of dry limestone sites, growing on the ground. Despite its English name it is not a moss.

Rough-stalked Feather-moss Brachythecium rutabulum

Scientific Name: Brachythecium rutabulum (Brachytheciaceae).

English Name: Rough-stalked Feather-moss.


French Name:

5 Key Characters:

• forms medium to large patches.
• irregular erect branches.
• spreading ovoid leaves 2-3 mm long, often coming to a sharp but not especially long point.
• leaf central nerve ends well before the tip.
• egg-shaped capsules.
  

Lookalikes: Other Brachythecium spp, especially B. rivulare, and lots of other unrelated mosses.


Habitat: Wet ground (marshes), in grass, on wood (branches and trunks of living trees, also logs and stumps), on stones (rocks, rubble, walls). Shaded places such as woods and hedges; open areas such as gardens, parks, waste ground, stream banks. Favours alkaline substrates.


Status: Abundant (one of the most common mosses).


Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

Common Smoothcap moss Atrichum undulatum

Scientific Name: Atrichum undulatum (Polytrichaceae).

English Name: Common Smoothcap; Catherine's Moss.

French Name: 

5 Key Characters:

• pointed undulating leaves when wet, up to 1 cm long (crisp when dry).
• very long beak on capsules.
• robust, can form extensive patches, grows in loose tufts.
• edges of leaves finely toothed.
• ridges of tissue over the central nerve down the length of the leaf.

Lookalikes: Swan's-neck Thyme-moss Mnium hornum, which has shorter oval leaves with no undulations. Hart's-tongue Thyme-moss Plagiomnium undulatum, which has blunter leaves.

Habitat: Almost every woodland. Shaded, well-drained sites, banks and anthills in grassland, heaths, rocky ledges.

Status: Very common in woodland.

Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

Cypress-leaved Plait Moss Hypnum cupressiforme

Scientific Name: Hypnum cupressiforme (Hypnaceae).


English Name: Cypress-leaved Plait Moss (Hypnale moss family).


French Name: Hypne cyprès.

5 Key Characters:

• spore capsule has a long 'beaked' lid.
• irregularly branched shoots about 2 cm long.
• leaves strongly curved, 1-2 mm and finely pointed.
• green, tinging red-brown when older.
• produces many spore capsules, 2.5 mm.
  

Lookalikes: H. andoi, which has shorter beaked capsules, doesn't go brown and prefers more acidic substrates.

Habitat: Slightly acid to slightly alkaline bark and flint/chirt rich rock.



Status: The most widespread moss on Earth. Abundant.


Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

Dog Lichens - Peltigera spp

Dog Lichens Peltigera spp are a lichenised fungi ie an algae and/or a cyanobacteria and a fungi living symbiotically to form what is essentially a single organism. The upper side is dark greenish brown, with a slightly suedey look. The underside is whitish with numerous 'hairs'. Dog Lichens are common, growing in the sun or dappled shade on mossy rocks, rotting tree trunks and on the soil in grassy meadows. They can fix nitrogen from the air, so can act as a soil improver.

A Dog Lichen growing on a ruined stone wall in Angles sur l'Anglin.

Peltigera cf polydactyla. The orange bits are called apothecia and are the fruiting bodies. It was growing on a tree in the Forêt de Preuilly, October.

Peltigera canina, very dry, growing in the grass on the Puy Besnard near Chinon.

Wall Screw-moss Tortula muralis

Scientific Name: Tortula muralis.

English Name: Wall Screw-moss.

French Name: None.

5 Key Characters:

• spiral twisted peristome (the fringe around the edge of the capsule).
• leaf blades have a long silvery nerve (midrib) which extends well beyond the rounded leaf tip, making the moss cushion look hoary and grey when dry.
• one of the most common mosses.
• leaves tongue shaped, twisted together when dry, spread out and separated when damp.
• leaf edges curve back (recurved) except right at tip.
  

Lookalikes: Syntrichia spp and other Tortula spp. Syntrichia spp tend to be larger mosses, the other Tortula spp tend to be smaller, and have different characteristics (rare on chalk, green or yellow nerves, flat leaves, grows on soil).


Habitat: The commonest moss on stone or brick walls, especially limestone or lime mortar/render. Also grows on concrete, tiles and other man-made structures as well as natural limestone outcrops. Much less common on trees and wood. Tolerates some shade.


Further References and Reading: British Bryological Society Field Guide.


Status: Very common.


Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

Thickpoint Grimmia Schistidium crassipilum

Scientific Name: Schistidium crassipilum (Grimmiaceae).

English Name: Thickpoint Grimmia (a Grimiales moss).

French Name: None.

5 Key Characters:

• spore capsule long and narrow, surrounded by leaves.
• makes rounded cushions or flat patches. 
• each leaf has a hair point, giving the moss a silvery frosted look.
• the hair points are straight, with a flattened base.
• edges of upper leaves very slightly toothed.
  

Lookalikes: Several other mosses eg Grey-Cushioned Grimmia Grimmia pulvinata or Wall Screw-moss Tortula muralis, both of which have capsules on longer 'stems' (seta), not hidden by leaves.


Habitat: Generally manmade structures, mainly limestone walls but sometimes tarmac pavements. Sometimes natural limestone or sandstone.


Status: Rare in the Touraine.


Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

Crescent-cup Liverwort Lunularia cruciata

Scientific Name: Lunularia cruciata (Lunulariaceae).


English Name: Crescent-cup Liverwort.

French Name: La Lunulaire.

5 Key Characters:

• has easily visible crescent shaped cups growing on the surface. 
• shiny.
• light bright green.
• covered in tiny but easily visible air pores.
• 
  

Lookalikes: There are several similar species, but they have black lines, full cups or lack visible air pores.

Habitat: Damp places, especially gardens and greenhouses. Also at the base of damp walls.

Status: Very common.

Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

Identifying and Surveying Mosses and Lichens

The Association de Botanique et de Mycologie de Sainte Maure de Touraine has at least one moss and lichen focused outing a year.

Jeannine Demeulant, one of the Association de Botanique et de Mycologie de Sainte Maure de Touraine moss experts, sprays some moss on a tree in Sainte Maure de Touraine with water to revive it in a dry year. This aids identification.