Diphasiastrum alpinum Alpine Clubmoss

Alpine Clubmoss is a locally common plant of upland moors and mountains in Britain. It is only known from one site in West Glamorgan where it grows in a north-west facing heathy bank at the side of a forest track near Glyncorrwg where it was discovered in 2021 by CH and Hilary Hipkin. It reaches its most southern location in Britain here and it appears to be a recent colonist of plantations. Previous to that a small population had been discovered on an old coal tip in Gwent. Other populations in south Wales occur in the Black Mountains of Carmarthenshire (Dyfed). The West Glamorgan population grows in a community which is dominated by Calluna vulgaris, Vaccinium myrtillus and Molinia caerulea where it is colonising areas of bare ground between the dwarf shrub heathers there. Alpine Clubmoss is a small plant and is easily overlooked when it is growing in heathland and moorland habitats like this.

Native