Weissia levieri - © Barry Stewart
Weissia levieri Levier's Beardless-moss
(Limpr.) Kindb.
An small, autoicous, acrocarpous moss which is an ephemeral colonist of open, bare, calcium-rich soils particularly on south-facing limestone cliffs. It is an extremely rare, red-listed moss in Britain with its most important sites on the limestone of the south Gower coast. Examination of the sporophyte capsules, which are common in spring, is necessary for safe identification. Like Weissia longifolia it has short capsule stalks, but the capsules are dehiscent; i.e. they shed their lids at maturity.
