English rock-bristle  (Seligeria calycina)

Authentication

Information authenticated by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew:
http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/

Glossary

Endemic: a species or taxonomic group that is only found in one particular country or geographic area.
Gametophyte: a life cycle stage in plants, which has one set of chromosomes (threads of DNA protein) in the cell nucleus (a condition known as ‘haploid’), which arises from a spore (which is also haploid). Sex cells (gametes) are produced during the gametophyte stage. This is the dominant life-cycle stage in liverworts and mosses.
Rhizoids: thread-like structures that help to anchor the plant to the substrate, and absorb minerals and water. In liverworts they consist of a single cell, in mosses they are multi-cellular.
Spore: microscopic particles involved in both dispersal and reproduction. They comprise a single or group of unspecialised cells and do not contain an embryo, as do seeds.
Sporophyte: the stage of a plant life cycle that produces spores (microscopic particles used in dispersal and reproduction). This stage is diploid (in the cell nucleus there are two sets of chromosomes - threads of DNA protein) and is dominant in ‘higher’ plants such as flowering plants.
Vascular system: in plants, the system that allows water and nutrients to move around.

References

  1. National Biodiversity Network Species Dictionary (August 2002)
    http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nbn
  2. Smith, A. J. E. (1978) The moss flora of Britain and Ireland. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
  3. UKBAP (August 2002):
    http://www.ukbap.org.uk
  4. Hill, M. O., Preston, C. D, & Smith, A. J. E. (1992) Atlas of the Bryophytes of Britain and Ireland. Volume 2. Mosses (except diplolepideae). Harley Books, London.
  5. Church, J. M., Hodgetts, N. G., Preston, C. D. & Stewart, N. F. (2001) British Red Data Books: mosses and liverworts. Joint Nature Conservancy Committee, Peterborough.
  6. Mosses and Liverworts in Wales (August 2002):
    http://home.clara.net/adhale/bryos/
  7. Egerton, H. & Jones, F. (Eds.) (1998) Nature Encyclopedia. Dorling Kindersley, London.
  8. Watson, E. V. (1995) British mosses and liverworts, 3rd edition. Cambridge University Press