Weissia longifolia Crisp Beardless-moss

A small, autoicous, acrocarpous moss which is often treated as two ecologocally distinct varieties, i.e. var. longifolia and var. angustifolia (treated here as Weissia angustifolia - see separate description). Here, we use the name Weissia longifolia as equivalent to Weissia longifolia var. longifolia. Unlike Weissia angustifolia, it is a calcifuge that grows in bare, non-calcareous places such as stubble fields. On first appearance it might be confused with Weissia controversa but the capsules, which do not shed their lids at maturity, are spherical and held on very short stalks which are hidden in the leaves. It is less easy to separate from Weissia angustifolia (see description of that species) but the perichaetial leaves that sheath the sporophyte are longer than the upper stem leaves and they are plane throughout (not inrolled in the upper part). It has a largely southeastern distribution in Britain and is uncommon in Wales. There are two records of it in West Glamorgan, from south Gower. Sporophyte capsules are common in spring and when available should be collected so that the coarsly papillose spores can be examined under the microscope. If confirmed, this feature will separate Weissia longifolia (and Weissia angustifolia) from Weissia levieri.