Radula complanata Even Scalewort

A paraoicous leafy liverwort which grows as an epiphyte on the trunks and branches of smooth barked trees such as willows, ash, beech, hazel and sycamore (and others) in moist, not heavily shaded locations. The pale, yellowish-green, flattened shoots are quite distinctive particularly when they have their long flat perianths, which are often abundant. Other Radula species that it might be confused with grow in diffrent habitats and are northern species that do not occur in our area. It is one of a suite of epiphyte species that suffered decline in the past as a result of atmospheric pollution but as air quality has improved it has undergone a significant recovery. It is now a widespread and common species throughout much of Britain and it is a common epiphyte in Wales. In Flora of Glamorgan (1994) it was described as rare, but it is now widely distributed in the county and it is found throughout West Glamorgan. It is particularly characteristic of the species-rich epiphytic bryophyte flora that occurs on willows along forest road in Neath Port Talbot where it grow with species such as Cololejeunea minutissima, Cryphaea heteromalla, Microlejeunea ulicina, Orthotrichum pulchellum, Plenogemma phyllantha and Ulota bruchii. Sporophyte capsules are common and can be seen more or less throughout the year.