Phenological studies on British mosses

Abstract

Seasonal patterns of reproductive development are reported for the five British mosses Atrichum undulatum, Bryum argenteum, Grimmiapulvinata, Polytrichum alpestre and Tortula muralis, and vegetative phenology is also described for B. argenteum and P. alpestre. Clearly defined seasonal cycles of gametangial and sporophytic development characterize P. alpestre, and the cycles in Britain resemble those previously reported for polar populations of this species. The seasonal timing of the later stages of sporophytic development, and of spore release, was shown to be relatively constant within each species but the gametangial cycles and fertilization periods appear to be more variable than in P. alpestre in the weedy colonist, B. argenteum, and particularly in the lithophytes, G. pulvinata and T. muralis.