Scorpiurium circinatum Curving Feather-moss

A yellow-green, dioicous pleurocarpous moss which grows on south-facing calcareous rocks, such as limestone outcrops on coastal ciffs. It forms dense mats whose shoots curve downwards when dry giving it a characteristic appearance. It is an uncommon warmth-loving, Mediterranean-Atlantic spcecies which has a southern and largely western distribution in Britain. In West Glamorgan it is confined to Gower where it is frequent along the coastal limestone cliffs. It does not produces sporophyte capsules in Britain and its means of dispersal here is unknown.