Scapania compacta Thick-set Earwort

A dioicous (sometimes paroicous or autoicous) leafy liverwort which grows in open, rocky places, or on shallow soils, on boulders and rocky outcrops and also in quarries. Although it seems to prefer relatively dry habitats it often occurs near streams. The compact, dense, brownish-green turfs made up of shoots that have leaves with equal-sized front and back lobes are fairly distinctive. Pale-green gemmae are sometimes present but are not very conspicuous. It is a Submediterranean-Subatlantic species, more or less endemic to Europe, with a distinct western and northern distribution in Britain. It is widespread but rather sporadic in Wales with a few scattered records in West Glamorgan. Sporophytes are common.