Recently members of the botany section took the opportunity of exploring the exposed base of Val de la Mare reservoir; the reservoir is practically empty due to the lack of rain over the summer. We particularly wanted to find Bidens tripartita Trifid Bur-marigold, a plant that grows on damp ground after water has receded. We found many small plants, many in flower. However an unexpected bonus was finding an unusual Liverwort. It was a Riccia, an attractive form of Liverwort that grows in small circular patches. There were dozens of these small bryophytes scattered on the sandy exposed soil. After checking with the referee the Riccia were determined as Riccia cavernosa Cavernous Crystalwort. The first record of this Liverwort in Jersey.
While walking through the arboretum at Val de la Mare we admired the autumn colours of the Redwoods. We were pleased to find further populations of Sibthorpia europea Cornish Moneywort, further downstream from the previously known site.
Lyn Jones our island Bryophyte recorder kindly offered to lead a Bryophyte walk and we were delighted at the number of people who turned up to learn more about Mosses and Liverworts. Lyn highlighted five of the more common and easily identifiable Mosses that were found on the sandy soils of St. Ouen.
Photo: Lyn explaining the properties of Pseudoscleropodium purum, Photo 2: Val de la Mare, Photo 3: Riccia cavernosa
Author & photos: Anne Haden – Botany Section Secretary
