Past bryology in Oxfordshire

Oxford was home to one of the world’s earliest collections of bryophytes, by Jacob Bobart in the 17 th Century. Since then there have been many eminent bryologists recording mosses and liverworts in Oxfordshire through the centuries. In more recent times, numerous BBS members have added important records to the county’s bryoflora, including Roy Perry, Eustace Jones and George Bloom.

Current bryological activities in Oxfordshire

The most recent initiatives by the current Recorder are Mosses and Liverworts Identification Courses, and the Oxford Mossing Group. Bryophyte surveys and recording continue through the year.

Mosses and Liverworts Identification Courses

This is an annual 3-day course run in Oxford by the voluntary organisation Shotover Wildlife. The course is usually held over 2 weekends in November and is a combination of field sessions and microscope work. Places are strictly limited to allow a high level of guidance from tutors.

Aim of the course: to develop both the skills and knowledge required to identify mosses and liverworts.

Course content includes: bryophyte structures and terminology, life cycle, microscope techniques used in bryology, identification using microscopes and keys, identification in the field.

Equipment: high power and dissecting microscopes are provided.

Tutor: Jacqueline A. Wright

Booking: Contact Shotover Wildlife at jawright@shotover-wildlife.org.uk for more information or an application form, or go to www.shotover-wildlife.org.uk

The Oxford Mossing Group

This is a free service provided by Shotover Wildlife. The Oxford Mossing Group provides ongoing field and microscope sessions after the Mosses and Liverworts Identification Courses as a way of supporting learners with bryophyte identification, both in microscope keying and building field skills.

The Oxford Mossing Group season runs from October to March and sessions start with a morning field visit (in and around Oxfordshire), usually followed by a microscope session in the afternoon near the field site. High power and dissecting microscopes are available for use.

Surveys and bryophyte recording

Surveys are undertaken on request from other organisations and naturalists, and also for Shotover Wildlife’s own recording initiatives such as a bryophyte inventory for the Shotover Ancient Trees Project. Various BBS projects are also contributed to whenever possible.

Bryophyte records are sent to the BBS recording scheme and the local Records Centre.

Local Floras

JONES, E.W. (1991). The changing bryophyte flora of Oxfordshire. Journal of Bryology, 16, 513-549.

PERRY, A.R. & JONES, E.W. (1998). The liverworts and mosses of Oxfordshire. In: The flora of Oxfordshire, eds Killick, J., Perry, R. & Woodell, S., pp. 301-360. Newbury: Nature Conservation Bureau.