From: Sean Edwards <mzfses@mail1.mcc.ac.uk>
To: bryonet-l@mtu.edu
BRYONET
Just a postscript on this, especially re. chlorine. I have a
conservatory Dicksonia that is profusely covered in a range of
healthy bryophytes (including a volunteer Heteroscyphus
combinatus, an undetermined Lophocolea, several pleurocarps and
acrocarps), with no signs of browning etc. and several species
fruiting abundantly. It is automatically misted 12 times a day x1
minute with Manchester chlorinated tap water (originally via lead
pipes but not now).
Could it be that watering by misting allows pre-evaporation of the
chlorine etc.? Or maybe these species are not so sensitive? Are
the Dicranum-type leaves sensitive because water is drawn up
them to evaporate from the tips, accumulating solutes there (high
watering plus low humidity, an unnatural situation?)?
Sean
PS there have been several similar or parallel discussions since
1996 (and no doubt before) re. problems with cultivating
bryophytes. I've just browsed through, but most only touch on tap-
water as the first thing not to use. There was a Seattle group called
Bryofarmers started up in Feb. 2000
(http://www.onelist.com/community/bryofarmers) but this no longer exists;
it was started by Stephan Butcher
(butcher@drizzle.com).
There are lots of interesting tips in the log, maybe worth extracting
to a small file, to supplement Michael Fletcher's little book?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sean R. Edwards BSc PhD,
Keeper of Botany,
The Manchester Museum, Manchester University, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
'Phone: +44 (0)161-275-2671/2; fax: +44 (0)161-275-2676
Email: sean.edwards@man.ac.uk
Website: http://www.museum.man.ac.uk/
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