Cornish path-moss facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cornish path-moss |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ditrichum
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| Species: |
cornubicum
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The Ditrichum cornubicum, also known as the Cornish path-moss, is a tiny moss that grows only in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It was first found in 1963 by Jean Paton near Lanner, Cornwall. Since then, it has been discovered in just two other spots within Cornwall. Scientists officially described it as a new species in 1976.
Contents
Where Does It Live?
Discovery of a Rare Moss
In 1963, a local moss expert named Jean Paton found a strange moss specimen. She discovered it on the side of a road west of Lanner, near Redruth, in west Cornwall. It was growing on leftover mining dirt used to make a small parking area.
Even though it hasn't been seen again at Lanner, Jean Paton found the same moss two years later, in 1965. This time, it was at an old copper mine on the edge of Bodmin Moor at Minions. Later, in 1997, another group of this moss was found nearby at Crow's Nest by David Holyoak.
A Tiny World Population
A very small group of this moss was also found in west Cork, Ireland. However, it's thought that these mosses might have accidentally arrived there from Cornwall and have since disappeared.
The Cornish path-moss is incredibly rare! All the known plants in the world cover an area of only about 0.16 square meters. That's smaller than a typical bath mat! Because it's so rare, this moss is a special focus of the Back from the Brink conservation project. This project aims to protect the moss and stop it from disappearing forever.
How It Grows and Survives
Unique Ways to Reproduce
Scientists have only ever found male plants of the Cornish path-moss. This means it reproduces asexually. Instead of needing two parents to make seeds or spores, new plants grow from special underground stems called rhizoid tubers. These tubers grow from the base of the leaves.
Its Favorite Home
This moss doesn't like to share its space. It struggles when other plants grow too close and try to take over. So, it prefers to grow on hard, open ground with very few other plants. You can often find it on or next to old paths, along tracks, or sometimes in cracks in old walls.
The soil it likes best is either humic (rich in decaying plant matter) or loamy (a good mix of sand, silt, and clay). It needs soil that drains water well and is slightly acidic, with a pH between 5.5 and 5.8.
A Taste for Metals
Interestingly, the Cornish path-moss loves soil that has a lot of metals, especially copper. It thrives in places with copper levels from 151 to 1400 parts per million (ppm).
However, as rain and weather slowly wash these metals out of the soil, other mosses can start to grow. These new mosses, like Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus and Ceratodon purpureus, can then take over the space and out-compete the Cornish path-moss. This makes it even harder for this special moss to survive.
