(as at February 2011)

The refereeing service is intended to provide assistance to members who have genuine difficulty in naming their British and Irish collections. It is not intended as a free-for-all identification facility, least of all for bulk collections. Please, therefore, respect the following guidelines when submitting material.

1. Avoid sending large quantities at any one time. Do not send material if you are not prepared to examine it yourself in advance.
2. Please ensure that fragile specimens are adequately protected in the post. This applies particularly to material with lumps of soil attached. It is dispiriting to open a packet and find a pile of dust inside! Small boxes or tins are ideal for protection from crushing.
3. Mini-packets within the main packet are useful for separating off plants of the identified species, especially in mixed stands or when there are lumps of soil attached.
4. Ensure that you apply the correct postage. Be aware that even small envelopes will be classed as “large letters” if they exceed 5 mm thickness, and as “packets” if they exceed 25 mm.
5. Label all packets clearly with full collection details, including habitat, locality, altitude, and at least a 10-km grid reference.
6. Always enclose a stamped addressed envelope (or label) with your specimen(s). Otherwise, you may not receive a reply. However it is not necessary to enclose a pre-paid envelope if the referee is based in a different country from yourself.

The General Referee will help beginners who are having difficulty in placing their material in a genus. If you are confident about the genus but not the species, please send your gathering to the appropriate referee, as listed below. If you encounter any other problems, refer to the respective recorder, Tom Blockeel for mosses, and Sam Bosanquet for hornworts and liverworts.

General referee: RJ Fisk

The numbers below refer to the genera in A checklist and census catalogue or British and Irish bryophytes by MO Hill, TH Blacksotck, DG Long and GP Rothero (2008).

Hornworts
1-2               DG Long

Liverworts
1-9               ME Newton
10-11           DG Long
12-16           ME Newton
17-22           DG Long
23-34           NG Hodgetts
35-38           TH Blackstock
39                D Bell
40-43           TH Blackstock
44-51           SDS Bosanquet
52-57           TH Blackstock
58                DA Callaghan
59-60           TH Blackstock
61-63           SDS Bosanquet
64                DG Long
65-66           SDS Bosanquet
67-69           DG Long
70-71           GP Rothero
72-78           SDS Bosanquet
79                TH Blackstock
80                SDS Bosanquet
81-86           GP Rothero

Mosses
1-2               MO Hill
3                 NG Hodgetts
4-12             MO Hill
13-19           NG Hodgetts
20                TL Blockeel
21                SDS Bosanquet
22                RD Porley
23                TL Blockeel
24-27           NG Hodgetts
28                DT Holyoak
29                GP Rothero
30                DA Callaghan
31-48           GP Rothero
49-50           NG Hodgetts
51-53           GP Rothero
53a*             A Orange
54-57           GP Rothero
58-61           DF Chamberlain
62                TL Blockeel
63-70           DF Chamberlain
71-72           DT Holyoak
73-89           DF Chamberlain
90                TL Blockeel
91-98           NG Hodgetts
99-102         TL Blockeel
103-107        NG Hodgetts
108              RJ Fisk
109-112        DT Holyoak
113-115        NG Hodgetts
116-120        A Orange
121              NG Hodgetts
122              TL Blockeel
123-125        A Orange
126-127        TL Blockeel
128              RJ Fisk
129-130        TL Blockeel
131              RJ Fisk
132-139        TL Blockeel
140-142        MO Hill
143-144        TL Blockeel
145              MO Hill
146-147        TL Blockeel
148              MO Hill
149-150        TL Blockeel
151              RJ Fisk
152-158        DA Callaghan
159-177        TL Blockeel
178              NG Hodgetts
179-180        TL Blockeel
181-184        GP Rothero
185-187        SDS Bosanquet
188              RJ Fisk
189-191        SDS Bosanquet
192              RJ Fisk
193              GP Rothero
194-200        NG Hodgetts
201              RJ Fisk
202-204        TL Blockeel
205-213        RJ Fisk
214-215        TL Blockeel
216              RJ Fisk

* Genus 53a is Dicranoloma. Other unknown exotics from tree ferns may be sent to A Orange.

Contact details:

Dr D. Bell, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR
Mr T.H. Blackstock, Eirianallt, Glanrafon, Llangoed, Anglesey LL58 8PG
Mr T.L. Blockeel, 9 Ashfurlong Close, Dore, Sheffield S17 3NN. e Tblockeel@aol.com
Mr S.D.S. Bosanquet, Cnwc y Llwyn, Brechfa, Carmarthen SA32  7QR.  e S.Bosanquet@ccw.gov.uk
Mr D.A. Callaghan, 51 Bishopdale Drive, Rainhill, Prescott, Merseyside L35 4QQ
Dr D.F. Chamberlain, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR
Mr R.J. Fisk, 35 Fair Close, Beccles, Suffolk NR34 9QR
Dr M.O. Hill, 11 Chaucer Road, Cambridge CB2 7EB
Mr N.G. Hodgetts, 15 Earlish, Portree, Isle of Skye IV51 9XL
Dr D.T. Holyoak, Quinta de Cachopa, Barcoila, 6100-014 Cabecudo, Portugal
Dr D.G. Long, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR
Mr A. Orange, Department of Biodiversity & Systematic Biology, National Museum of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP
Dr M.E. Newton, c/o Department of Botany, Liverpool Museum, William Brown Street, Liverpool, L3 8EN. (All mail to be marked ‘Private’).
Mr R.D. Porley, Cerca dos Pomares, CxP 409M, 8670-052 Aljezur, Portugal
Mr G.P. Rothero, Stronlonag, Glenmassan, by Dunoon, Argyll PA23 8RA