I've yet to do the Portland pilgrimage to meet this plant in Britain. So it was extra special to have my very first encounter completely as a surprise!

Exploring the limestone hills of Portugal there's an overwhelming diversity of Orchids and other vascular plants. However the most exciting plant I've met is this beautiful liverwort Southbya. Growing in some abundance over a few metres 😍 @bbsbryology.bsky.social

Marsh Flapwort (Biantheridion undulifolium) creeping through Sphagnum. Only a handful of known British sites for this wonderful liverwort.
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Rose Moss (Rhodobryum roseum) looking as stunning as usual in Shropshire today 😍
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I guess would ideally be moved to sites that are already being managed sympathetically? And if within known former range feels less artificial.

If it's doomed without appropriate habitat management at the native location and moves to doomed without appropriate habitat management at the translocation sites it's the same long term problem but requiring more resources. Unless it's moved to easier to manage sites? Would new pops be smaller too?

Lots of Claviceps spartinae on the Spartina in the Southport saltmarsh today. On a few plants the Claviceps was hosting Fusarium heterosporum too!

The smallest grass in the world - Mibora minima (Early Sand Grass) just coming into flower on the Sefton coast today. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

The Radnor Lily or Early Star of Bethlehem (Gagea Bohemica) is a fabulous little plant. The leaves are small and grass-like and easily go unnoticed. But in mid winter a few of these plants pop up beautiful yellow flowers at their only known British site. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Wonderful to see the smut fungus Vankya ornithogali is still present on the only known British population of Gagea bohemica. This fungus is classed as critically endangered in Wales. Within Britain this species also occurs on G. lutea.

The fabulous Asplenium x murbeckii. This is the hybrid between A. septentrionale and A. ruta-muraria at it's only known British/Irish site.
#wildflowerhour

Some other lovely ferns from today.
Forked Spleenwort (Asplenium septentrionale), Maidenhair Spleenwort (A. trichomanes), Green Spleenwort (A. viride) and Wilson's Filmy Fern (Hymenophyllum wilsonii).
#wildflowerhour

Asplenium x alternifolium 😍
This wonderful plant is the hybrid of A. septentrionale and A. trichomanes.
Seen today looking fabulous on Moel Yr Ogof.
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Buxbaumia viridis (Green Shield Moss).
A pretty tiny bryo and difficult to spot, only the seta and capsule are visible.
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Thanks Sarah! These are just phone camera photos, the second taken through a x10 hand lens.

Durmortiera hirsuta (Durmortier's Liverwort) 😍
A fabulous dark green thallose liverwort with a bristly thallus and receptacles.
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Petalwort (Petalophyllum ralfsii) about in good numbers on the west Clare coast this afternoon 😍

Scapania nimbosa 😍
Found one small patch of this fabulous liverwort whilst exploring the incredible hepatic mat communities up on Mount Brandon.

Out on the Dingle peninsula for the new year. This happens to be the only known locality in Ireland for Sibthorpia europaea (Cornish Moneywort). Dropped in on one of the lovely populations today 😍

Carex atrofusca (Scorched Alpine Sedge).
Another upland rarity currently known from 5 sites in Scotland.
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Aye that's it, that's also what Hazel Gloves grows on so worth looking for.

Carex lasiocarpa (Slender Sedge) showing well it's wonderfully tomentose utricules 😍

Carex/Kobresia simpliciuscula (False Sedge).
A rather elegant looking plant. I've met this species in Teesdale and some very rich upland flushes in Scotland. So another Sedge that's found in really fabulous places!
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Carex limosa (Bog Sedge)
Definitely a contender for the most beautiful Sedge in Britain and Ireland 😍
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Carex filiformis (Downy Fruited Sedge). 😍
This photo was taken in 2022 in an extraordinary Wiltshire meadow. The first and only time I've found this plant in the wild.
Some motivation to get down south next summer!
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Carex microglochin (Bristle Sedge).
Another Sedge with a tiny range in our area, known just from the Ben Lawers range.
These plants were in a flush with C. capillaris and C. atrofusca as just some of the neighbours! 😍
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Thanks David! Definitely the most exciting genus for me ☺️

Carex flava (Large Yellow Sedge).
Known in Britain from just a few sites in Northern England. Most of the British population is at the incredible Roudsea woods. An absolutely gorgeous plant that I try and visit whenever I'm in the area 😍
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Carex capillaris (Hair Sedge)
Whether you're in an upland flush or on some coastal machair, you're almost certainly somewhere special when you're hanging out with this plant. And usually with an array of other special plants.

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Carex depauperata (Starved Wood Sedge).
A bit of a change with a southern species, this plant is known from four sites in the south of Britain and one in Ireland.
This photo is from the classic Cheddar site where many botanists meet this beautiful and distinctive plant 😍
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