Bryophytes
MOSSES AND LIVERWORTS
Discover the intriguing and beautiful miniature world of mosses and liverworts (bryophytes) in the richly biodiverse Bantry Bay area. You can explore these tiny plants at any time of year. These two publications, commissioned and published by the Ellen Hutchins Festival in 2020, will encourage you to delve into this world. Equipped with just a hand lens (or phone camera), you can find and explore a huge variety of strikingly beautiful features of bryophytes including cushions, hummocks and leaves neatly curved to one side. See woolly fringes, springy turf, spreading stars and purple worms!
If you need a bit of persuading to look closely at mosses and liverworts, then try a tiny video by Rory Hodd, the introduction to a DIY day exploring Bryophytes here.
If youngsters aged 6 to 12 years could be interested, see the free leaflet below and also see the great free resources on the Moss Hunting page here.
There are links to further resources – websites and books, and a piece about Ellen Hutchins and her study of bryophytes.
Mosses and Liverworts: an introductory guide to the Bantry Bay area
Written by one of Ireland’s top bryologists and with stunning photographs taken mostly in Southwest Ireland, this small book will encourage you to get close-up to a wonderful part of nature. Focussing on the rich variety of habitats around Bantry Bay, Dr Rory Hodd introduces the reader to some of the most commonly found bryophytes of West Cork, as well as some of the most spectacular.
The 50-page A5 booklet is full of beautiful colour photographs and the cover features a specially commissioned illustration by award-winning botanical artist, Shevaun Doherty. Published in 2020.
• Learn about the structure and life cycle of bryophytes.
• Find out why Southwest Ireland is such a special place for them.
• Look closely enough to see the differences between mosses & liverworts.
Micro-nature Guide to the Bryophytes of West Cork
This (free) lively and colourful micro-nature guide to the mosses and liverworts of West Cork is aimed at children and families and is great for adults too. It introduces the beginner to what bryophytes are, what the most common species look like and where they can be found. It also includes some fun facts and tips on the best way to see them.
The guide was written and illustrated by bryologist Dr Rory Hodd in conjunction with Clare Heardman of the Ellen Hutchins Festival. You can pick up copies of the free leaflet in Bantry Library, Bantry Tourist Office (and Bantry Credit Union during the Festival), or download a copy below.
Other Resources
Websites:
British Bryological Society www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk – society that studies bryophytes in Britain and Ireland, for amateurs and professionals, with regular field outings. Website contains much information on bryophytes and online version of much of the Field Guide.
Bryophyte Ecology e-book digitalcommons.mtu.edu/bryophyte-ecology/ – online resource with a wealth of information on all aspects of bryophyte ecology.
Irish Bryophyte Group www.facebook.com/IrishBryophytes/ – page of the Irish Bryophyte Group, which organises bryophyte outings, mainly in the Dublin area, but also across Ireland.
Books:
Mosses and liverworts of Britain and Ireland: a field guide, edited by Ian Atherton, Sam Bosanquet and Mark Lawley. British Bryological Society, 2010.
Rare and threatened bryophytes of Ireland by Neil Lockhart, Nick Hodgetts and David Holyoak. National Museums Northern Ireland, 2012.
Mosses and Liverworts by Ron Porley and Nick Hodgetts. HarperCollins, 2005.
Ellen and the Bryophytes
Why are Ellen's specimens in New York?
A large number of Ellen Hutchins’ specimens of bryophytes, collected in the Bantry Bay area over two hundred years ago, are now held in the Steere Herbarium at the New York Botanical Garden. The journey to get there…….
Image courtesy of the Steere Herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden (http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/vh/)
Funders
Mosses and Liverworts: an introductory guide to the Bantry Bay area, and Micro-nature Guide to the Bryophytes of West Cork, were developed by the Ellen Hutchins Festival with funding from Fisheries Local Action Group South in 2020.
