Neckera smithii Prince-of-Wales Feather-moss

A dark-green, dioicous, pleurocarpous moss which forms distinctive mats on tree boles in open, well lit situations such as parks, estates, churches and roadsides. When moist, the close-knit, bipinnate shoots with crowded branches give it a feather-like appearance, hence its common name. On drying, the shoots become tightly inrolled. It is a Mediterranean-Atlantic species with a markedly southern distribution in Britain and it is rather rare in Wales with most populations in the southwest. It disappeared from a number of sites during the 20th Century, perhaps as a result of air pollution. It was recorded from the Penrice Estate in Gower in 1841 but has not been seen in West Glamorgan in recent times. Sporophyte capsules are rare.

This species is perhaps better known as Leptodon smithii.