*1: Perranporth, 1861,
ES (TRU) (Paton 1969a: 719).
*2: Near St Minver,
1891, RVT (B) (Paton 1969a:
719).
Differs from S. ruralis var. ruralis only in the
shape of the leaf apex (lamina acute and tapering into the
hyaline point rather than obtuse to rounded) and the usually
larger size of the plants. The two occur intermixed in short
dune grassland at Gear Sands and Penhale Camp, where a small
proportion of plants have leaves of intermediate shape,
suggesting that their treatment as varieties (as in Gallego
2002: 19, Hill et
al. 2008) may
be more appropriate than giving both forms species
rank.
Forms extensive low lawns. Mainly on fixed and
semi-fixed sand-dunes, growing on circumneutral to base-rich
sand and sandy soil, mostly in dry free-draining sites but
occasionally in small amount in dune-slacks. Occasionally
shaded by bushes, herbs or grasses overgrowing its habitats,
but normally unshaded. Occurs locally as colonist on landward
edges of mobile dunes, but more characteristic and often
locally abundant on semi-fixed dunes, where it occurs as pure
stands or intermixed with sparse grasses and herbs. Also on
blown sand lying on some coastal hillsides downwind of dunes,
on similar substrates on coastal banks or 'hedges', and in
disturbed areas in longer dune grassland. In Isles of Scilly
locally in sandy places at the head of beaches. Associates
recorded: Brachythecium
albicans, Bryum
dichotomum, Homalothecium
lutescens, Hypnum
cupressiforme var.
lacunosum, Pleurochaete
squarrosa, Rhynchostegium
megapolitanum, Scorpiurium
circinatum, Syntrichia ruralis
var. ruralis, Festuca rubra, Plantago coronopus, Thymus
polytrichus.
Five records of small amounts at unshaded sites
well inland: twice on soil on or at edges of gravelly tracks
(over serpentinite); few stems on soil of bank at edge of
large soil-heap covering land-fill site; bit on concrete
covering of old grave in churchyard; small patches on open
gravelly soil high on Bodmin Moor (site of former airfield on
Davidstow Moor).
One record c.fr.: capsules immature, fully formed
Jan. 2005 (Gear Sands). [Another specimen with immature
capsules was collected Feb. 1931 by C.H. Binstead at Hayle,
now in DTH].