Jungermannia atrovirens Dark-green Flapwort

A small, dark-green, sometimes almost black, dioicous leafy liverwort which grows on rocks that are frequently irrigated and also on damp shaded walls, banks, gravelly substrates, walls and dunes. It ha a pleasant, sweet aromatic smell which is easiest to detect when shoots are first collected. Jungermannia and Solenostoma species are not easy to identify in the field and often not possible to identify with certainty unless you can find and examine the perianth bracts. The colour of the rhizoids is also an important identification feature. It is easy to confuse with the dingy-green Jungemannia pumila, however, the dark-green colour of Jungermannia atrovirens makes it quite distinctive. Also, Jungermannia atrovirens is more limited to calcareous habitats. It is a species of western and northern Britain with a scattered distribution in much of Wales. In West Glamorgan it is found along the south Gower coast as well as on the calcareous gritty soils of forest roads in Neath Port Talbot and occasionally on man-made concrete structures that are periodically flooded with river water. Perianths can usually be found on most colonies and male plants are quite common. Sporophyte capsules are occasional.