Hymenostylium recurvirostrum Hook-beak Tufa-moss

A dioicous, acrocarpous moss that forms dense cushions with narrow, acute leaves that are appressed when dry and more spreading when wet. It is a strict calcicole and  typical of habitats where tufa is formed, such as dripping, calcareous rock faces and lime encrusted hummocks. However, it also grows in old quarries, on damp calcareous walls and occasionally on other hard calcareous substrates. It is scarce in Britain overall with a scattered western and northern distribution and it is rather local in Wales. It is very rare in West Glamorgan but a remarkable population was found by BS in an open mosaic habitat near Baglan. Sporophyte capsules are rare.