Marsupella profunda


Marsupella profunda, the western rustwort, is a liverwort endemic to Europe and known only from Portugal,, Spain and Great Britain. It is a small reddish liverwort and can be confused with Marsupella sprucei which has a more widespread distribution.

Distribution and habitat

The species is rare in Britain; it is known from just ten locations, all in Cornwall. These sites at Lower Bostraze and Leswidden, St Austell Clay Pits and Tregonning Hill, are all protected as Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Within Cornwall, western rustwort is generally found growing on micaceous or clay waste substrates which are flat or gently sloping. Some patches occur on granitic rocks, usually where these are soft or crumbling. It appears to be a pioneer species, the largest populations being found on surfaces showing the early stages of colonisation by other bryophytes and by vascular plants. New plants develop and grow rapidly from spores, while older plants disappear as they are shaded out by surrounding vegetation. It disappeared from at least six Cornish sites between 1971 and 2005 due to shading from European gorse and bramble

Conservation

This liverwort is rare in all parts of its range and is known from only a few sites in each locality where it is present.
The species has several conservation designations. It is listed on Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, in Appendix 1 of the Bern Convention, and in Annex II of the European Community Habitats and Species Directive.