Silky swan-neck moss (Campylopus setifolius)
Facts
| Kingdom | Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Bryophyta |
| Class | Bryopsida |
| Order | Dicranales |
| Family | Dicranaceae |
| Genus | Campylopus (1) |
| Size |
Plants: 3-13 cm (2). |
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Status
Classified as Nationally Scarce in Great Britain (3).
Description
Range
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Habitat
Occurs in moist or wet habitats, such as rock ledges, turf on slopes, and the edges of streams and mires, at altitudes from sea level up to 800m (3).
Biology
Mosses, hornworts and liverworts form a group of simple plants called bryophytes. Bryophytes lack many of the more complex structures of the higher plants, such as a vascular system, and flowers. They do not have roots, instead they have structures called 'rhizoids' which absorb water and anchor the plant to the substrate. All bryophytes have an interesting life cycle consisting of two main parts, called the gametophyte and sporophyte generations. Plants that are in the gametophyte stage can reproduce sexually. Male organs (antheridia) produce sex cells, which move to the female organs (archegonia). Fertilisation occurs and a 'sporophyte' develops, this structure remains attached to the plant. The sporophyte releases spores, which disperse and develop into a new plant (5).
The presence of sporophytes in silky-swan-neck moss has not been confirmed (3). Rather than spreading by means of spores, this species undergoes vegetative reproduction; fragments of leaves that break off from the plant develop into new plants (2).
Threats
The threats facing this species are not fully understood. However, burning, excessive grazing by sheep or deer, peat digging, conifer planting and eutrophication may all pose threats (3).
Conservation
Silky swan-neck moss is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) priority species, and a Species Action Plan has been published in order to outline the targets for its conservation (3). This plan aims to maintain the current range of this moss. At present, a number of the sites supporting this species are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), others are managed as National Nature Reserves (NNRS), they therefore receive a degree of protection (3).
The UK Biodiversity Action Plan for this species is available at
 |
Further Information
For more on this species see the UK BAP Species Action Plan, available on-line at:
http://www.ukbap.org.uk
Authentication
This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
arkive@wildscreen.org.uk
Eutrophication: nutrient enrichment of aquatic or terrestrial ecosystems.
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.
Spores: 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.
Vegetative reproduction: type of asexual reproduction (reproduction without recombination of genetic material) that results in the propagation of plants using only the vegetative tissues such as leaves or stems. The resulting plant is genetically identical to the original plant. A well-known example of this is the reproduction of strawberry plants from 'runners'.
References
- National Biodiversity Network Species Dictionary (September 2002)
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nbn - Smith, A. J. E. (1978) The moss flora of Britain and Ireland. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
- UK BAP Species Action Plan (July 2002):
http://www.ukbap.org.uk - Mosses and liverworts in Wales. Campylopus setifolius (September 2002):
http://home.clara.net/adhale/bryos/csetifol.htm - Mosses and Liverworts in Wales. (September 2002):
http://home.clara.net/adhale/bryos/
