David Fenwick

Wildlife, Marine and Botanical Photography

Ferns, Mosses and Liverworts of Devon and Cornwall
Ferns, mosses, liverworts and horsetails are an ancient group of plants from which all other plantlife has evolved, many are colonisers, and rather like fungi they produce spores rather than seeds and usually depend on wind or water for fertilisation.

Many species are quite delicate and dessicate easily so exist is dark, shady conditions, wet or seasonally flooded environments. Their spore producing period often coinciding with seasonally wet weather. Most have evolved and exist in a wide variety of habitats, from rock faces, brickwork or walls; tree trunks, seasonally flooded meadows or dune slacks, bogs, river or stream banks, lawns, trackways, uplands and heathland. Some, like the water fern Azolla are even aquatic.

Lower plants can be found existing in a wide range of habitats; although the best place to find the widest range of species in Devon and Cornwall is usually along shaded streams in woodland. We have a lot of habitat like this in Devon and Cornwall; and of course we have sufficiently wet weather required by many species.

Ferns and horsetails are the easiest species to find and photograph due to their size. They are also easier to identify. My images of Ferns, Mosses and Liverworts can be found by clicking on the following link APHOTOFLORA - Lower Plants

Fungi of Devon and Cornwall
Wildflowers of Devon and Cornwall
Garden Flowers of Devon and Cornwall
Marine and Shorelife of Devon and Cornwall
Wildlife of Devon and Cornwall