8 MaLoTaG 3.2.3: Mosses and Liverworts of Town and Garden, Sean Edwards, 9 April 2003
MORE ABOUT MOSSES ?
WHAT IS A BRYOPHYTE ?
There are about 1,000 species of bryophytes (mosses and liverworts)
in the British Isles, and about 20,000 in the world. They are flowerless
plants, reproducing by spores, and they range from being nearly
microscopic to over a metre tall; they may be upright, or creeping and
much branched. They may grow in streams or deserts, on mountain
tops or in sea spray, from the antarctic through tropical rain forests to
the arctic, and in fact just about anywhere, though hardly in the sea
itself. Theyclothe our landscape, but few naturalists get to know them.
Do I need a microscope?
Not necessarily ­ a good hand-lens is a good start. But a microscope
will open many further fascinating doors, and costs no more than a
microwave or a television. Advice on buying and using a microscope
should be found from your local Museum, or the BBS (see below).
Two books for beginners
Watson EV. 1981 (3rd
edition). British mosses and liverworts.
Cambridge.
Jahns HM. 1983. Collins guide to the ferns mosses & lichens of
Britain and northern and central Europe. Collins
BRITISH BRYOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Objectives
The Society exists to promote a wider interest in all aspects of
bryology. It provides tuition, organizes meetings, facilitates research
and aids measures for conservation.
Meetings
Field meetings, paper-reading sessions, workshop weekends,
symposia, etc.
Publications include:
Journal of Bryology, containing original research papers, book
reviews, etc.
The Bulletin, giving news and articles of general interest.
Projects for members
Recording of bryophyte distribution in Great Britain and Ireland,
and many other projects
Services to members
A panel of referees to help in identifications
A herbarium of voucher specimens
A collection of colour transparencies and jpegs
An extensive library of bryological books
The Reading Circle
Membership
Membership is open to anyone interested in bryophytes. Detailed
knowledge of the subject is not required and there is no entrance fee.
Annual subscriptions are as follows:
Ordinary membership: 20.00 (includes entitlement to Journal
of Bryology and BBS Bulletin, as well as other services provided by
the society.)
Junior Members (under 21) and Student Members: 10.00
Family membership: 1.00 (For any of the family who resides
with an Ordinary or Junior member. Family members do not receive
the Journal of Bryology but have all other rights and privileges of
membership.)
Further information
about the Society and its activities is available from: Mike Walton
(Hon. General Secretary), Ivy House, Wheelock Street, Middlewich,
Cheshire, CW10 9AB.
BBS website: http://www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk
MaLoTaG edn. 3 v.2.3, 9 April 2003, Sean Edwards, sean.edwards@man.ac.uk
The Manchester Museum, Manchester University, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
1MaLoTaG 3.2.3: Mosses and Liverworts of Town and Garden, Sean Edwards, 9 April 2003
T
his leaflet introduces the hidden world of mosses and liverworts.  They are everywhere
but they are small, so you need an 8× (or more) hand-lens to see the details.  You should
be able to recognize many of the species that surround you, and learn about this abundant but
unknown green carpet.  HINTS WHEN EXAMINING: mosses may alter unrecognisably when
dried, and moistening them may help; also because of the range of sizes, plants are not all drawn to the
same scale ­ pay particular attention to the scale bars (units: 1 mm).  Your plant may not be one
of the 46 species illustrated (plus 10 mentioned) here: see back page for: MORE ABOUT MOSSES
MOSSES AND LIVERWORTS
OF TOWN AND GARDEN
identification of some commoner species with a hand-lens
6 MaLoTaG 3.2.3: Mosses and Liverworts of Town and Garden, Sean Edwards, 9 April 2003 3MaLoTaG 3.2.3: Mosses and Liverworts of Town and Garden, Sean Edwards, 9 April 2003