Moss 1

There are several species of moss growing in Charlton Down Nature Area, and they can generally be found on the tree-shaded paths that wind their way through the slightly damper parts of the site, and also grow on branches and trunks of trees in areas like the adjacent Swale. They are most noticeable in the cooler months at the end of one year and the beginning of the next one. We need to find out more about them and be able to identify them accurately, so this post will be revisited later when we can do that. Meanwhile, here are some pictures showing examples in autumn when the leaves are falling, in winter when they are covered in frost and ice, and in spring when the warmth spurs growth and early flowers like celandines start to flower.

Useful Books and Links

Mosses and Liverworts of Woodland, Field Studies Council Fold-out Guide, Godfrey, 2014, OP163, ISBN 9781908819178

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2018/07/types-of-moss-in-the-uk/

The British Bryological Society