Bryum ruderale Pea Bryum

A small, mostly lowland Bryum of bare soils in arable field, ruderal habitats, coal tips and roadsides. One of its distinguishing features is the violet colour of its rhizoids which are coarsely papillose. Bryum violaceum is similar and also has violet rhizoids but its rhizoids are smooth or perhaps finely papillose. Some specimens have brown rhizoids and these can be confused with Bryum radiculosum, but unlike that species Bryum ruderale is usually found on soil and rarely if ever grows on walls. It is most common in south and east Britain but apparently scarce in most of Wales, or more probably under recorded. It appears to have a scattered, lowland distribution in West Glamorgan, particularly along the coast but extending inland along roads, forest tracks and coal tips.