A Moss Outing to the Chateau de Brou

The Association de botanique et de mycologie de Sainte Maure de Touraine (aka Botamyco37) organised an outing to learn moss identification and to survey the species in the grounds of the Chateau de Brou. The outing was set for the afternoon of Saturday 1 March, which turned out to be freezing. But we survived, and surveyed about 20 species of moss. None were rare but they certainly highlighted the challenges involved in learning to identify mosses. A big thank you is owed to Franck the Forester, who led the outing and shared his expertise, and to Marie-Claude, who took on the task of writing it up afterwards, with help from me and Corinne, and corrections as necessary from Franck.

Mosses absorb four times as much carbon dioxide as the trees in the forest, so we should show them some respect. There are around a thousand moss species in France, of which only 14 have legal protection, due to their rarity. They are bioaccumulators so they can act as indicators of the health and age of a woodland, and they provide shelter for thousands of tiny organisms such as collembolas, which are vital to the rich biodiversity of the forest. Despite the way they thrive in damp shady environments, they are capable of surviving extended periods of drought.

 

Cypress-leaved Plait Moss Hypnum cupressiforme (Fr. Hypne cyprès). This one was found on dead oak but it is common in the forest on acid substrates ie bark and wood both living and dead. It is relatively easy to identify, with leaves that curve like claws.

A feather moss of some sort Brachythecium sp. This is a very difficult genus to identify to species level and you need to look at it under magnification. They are common early colonisers of disturbed pH neutral sites that have low pollution.

Silky Wall Feather Moss Homalothecium sericeum (Fr. Homalothécie soyeuse). Identifiable by the very long tapering point on triangular leaves that are pleated lengthwise. A very adaptable species that can be found in a wide variety of habitats.

Larger Mouse-tail Moss Isothecium alopecuroides (Fr. Isothécie queue de renard). An epiphyte that grows on bark, frequently at the base of tree trunks, but it can also be found on rocks.

Forked Veilwort Metzgeria furcata, not a moss but a hepatic, with green leaves. Hepatics differ from mosses by not having a central vein in their leaves. This species is epiphytic, sticking itself to smooth barked forest trees, especially Hornbeam in the Touraine.

A pocket moss of some sort Fissidens sp. The genus is distinctive and easy to recognise, but determining a species is difficult.

Common Smoothcap Moss Atrichum undulatum (Fr. Atric ondulé) can be distinguished from Polystrichum spp by its overall smaller size and translucent wavy tooth edged leaves.

Common Tamarisk Moss Thuidium tamariscinum (Fr. Thuidie à feuilles de Tamaris) grows in layers. It is typical of oak woodlands and is tolerant of a wide range of pH in the substrate so long as it is well drained.

Rambling Tail Moss Anomodon viticulosus, which is found at the foot of old trees, in the shade.

Common Striated Feather Moss Eurhynchium striatum (Fr. Eurhynchie striée) found on cool rich forest floors.

A Scalewort of some sort Frullania sp, with tiny (2 mm) brown leaves. This is a very common hepatic, not a moss, found on smooth barked trees such as Chestnut or Hornbeam, and is an acid indicator.