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the western end of the lake several patches of
the rare water-starwort Callitriche truncata
were found (see article), and on the dried mud
of the marshy plantation thousands of rosettes
of the aquatic liverwort Riccia fluitans grew
among Reedmace Hypha latifolia) . At the
eastern end of the marsh a large colony of
Scirpus sylvaticus (Wood Club-rush) was a new
record for the area, growing with Carex
pseudocyperus (Hop Sedge). The ornamental
bridge soon proved a magnet and sharp eyed
four—year-old Angela spotted two "crabs" in the
shallows. These turned out to be crayfish.
As they were rather large and as our native
species is now virtually extinct, they were
most likely to be the "American", now being
farmed commercially in this country.
On the brickwork of the bridge itself ten
species of moss were recorded, including
Tortula marginata, down at the base of a
buttress. Leaving the bridge we made our way
in the now very unpleasant drizzle towards
Menageria Wood. Here we found an abundance of
Hypericum tetrapterum, the Square-stalked St.
John's Wort, on the muddy rides. A marshy
patch under Alder near the centre of the wood
yielded the very local Carex strigosa
(Thin—spiked Wood Sedge), as well as Carex
pendula, the Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-
femina) , Male and Broad Buckler ferns, and
masses of the liverwort Pellia endiviifolia,
indicating that the hollow was base-rich rather
than acid in reaction. On a large coppiced
ash the strap-like liverwort Metzgeria
furcata was found and on a nearby bole the
mosses Hypnum mammillatum, Isothecium
myosuroides and Plagiothecium curvifolium.