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| Tortula muralis | |
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Tortula muralis Tortula muralis (Wall Screw Moss) is one of the commonest mosses found in the Southside. These plants occur in small tufts up to 1cm in height or, occasionally, in wide patches. The mortared joints of the red brick walls of the buildings in St Leonards Street seem to be particularly favoured as homes for this moss. |
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Tortula muralis This image is of a clump of moss found growing on a brick wall and shows the top and underside views. Two mosses, one of which was Tortula muralis, were growing in the clump. The view of the underside of the clump demonstrates a line of lighter soil that filled the space between the bricks and a darker layer of soil on either side. The original moss growth in the inter-brick space has probably trapped airborne soil and dust that eventually provided a fertile bed for moss spores. This process of entrapping soil and dust will continue and the patch of moss will continue to spread. |
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Tortula muralis Tortula muralis occurs in small, low tufts or wide patches up to 1cm tall. The leaves, which are deep green or bright yellow-green, are widely spreading when moist and twisted together when dry. Each leaf is tongue shaped with narrow folded margins and a midrib that extends into a long white hair. This image of part of a single plant shows leaves and a young sporophyte growing from the tip of the stem. The seta (stem) of the sporophyte supports an immature capsule still covered by its papery calyptra. The calyptra appears to be important for the development of the capsule as its early removal may prevent the capsule from reaching maturity |
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Tortula muralis Tortula muralis is abundant all along the stone base of the wall surrounding George Square Gardens, . Strangely, this moss mostly grows on the side of the fence facing the road while the side facing the garden itself is mostly populated by a different moss (Brachythecium rutablulum). |
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Tortula muralis Unlike the specimens of Tortula muralis that grow in inter-brick spaces where some soil is present, these examples of the moss are growing on what appears to be bare rock. Next to the main road and exposed to the sun in the south, this is undoubtedly a moss with amazing survival capabilities. |
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Tortula Muralis A close up view of Tortula muralis. This specimen has found in a niche on a wall in Drummond Street . In the late afternoon sun, the young sporophytes grow amid some old brown capsules from the previous season. |
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