Oligotrichum hercynicum Hercynian Haircap

A small, bright green, dioicous acrocarpous moss which grows on acidic soils in the uplands. It is a pioneer calcifuge which has become a frequent component of the forest road flora of conifer plantations where it grows with other pioneers such as Diplophyllum albicans, Nardia scalaris and Pogonatum urnigerum. It has quite a distinctive fleshy form with thick, incurved leaves. It is a Boreo-arctic montane species with a western and northern distribution in Britain and is frequent throughout much of upland Wales. In West Glamorgan it is frequent along roads, tracks and on heathy banks in the conifer planttaions of Neath Port Talbot. Sporophyte capsules are occasional.