(as at April 2009)

The refereeing service is intended to provide assistance to members who have genuine difficulty in naming their UK collections. It is not intended as a 'free-for-all' identification facility, least of all for bulk collections. Please therefore respect the following guidelines when submitting material.

• If possible, avoid sending large quantities at any one time. Do not send material if you are not prepared to examine it yourself in advance.
• Please ensure that fragile specimens are adequately protected in the post. This applies particularly to material with lumps of soil attached. It is dispiriting to open a packet and find nothing but a pile of dust inside! Small boxes or tins are ideal for protection from crushing.
• Please label all packets clearly with full collection details, including habitat, locality, altitude and at least a 10 km grid reference.
• Always enclose a stamped addressed envelope (or label), even if material is sent to universities or institutions. Otherwise you may not receive a reply.

The General Referee will help beginners who are having difficulty in placing their material in a genus. If you encounter any other problems send it to the appropriate Recorder - Mr Sam Bosanquet for hepatics (Cnwc y Llwyn, Brechfa, Camarthen, Camarthenshire, SA32 7QR ) or Mr Gordon Rothero for mosses (Stronlonag, Glenmassan, By Dunoon, Argyll, PA23 8RA).

The numbers below refer to genera in A Check-list and Census Catalogue of British and Irish Bryophytes by M.O.Hill, T.H.Blackstock, D.G. Long, and G.P Rothero (2008). If there is more than one referee for a particular genus it is marked with a *.

A document containing a full list of the genera and their referees can be downloaded here.

General Referee:

Mr R.J. Fisk, 35 Fair Close, Beccles, Suffolk, NR34 8LQ

Hepatic Referees:

• 1-7, 9, 12-18: Dr M.E. Newton, c/o Department of Botany, Liverpool Museum, William Brown Street, Liverpool, L3 8EN. (All mail to be marked ‘Private’).
• 35-40, 49, 52-57: T.H. Blackstock, Countryside Council for Wales, Plas Penrhos, Ffordd Penrhos, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2LQ.
• Anthoceros & Phaeoceros, 10-11, 19, 23-24, 41-43, 58, 67-69, 74, 78, 80, 84: D.G. Long, Royal Botanic Garden , Inverleith Row, Edinburgh , EH3 5LR .
• 47-48, 51, 59-66, 75-77 : S.D.S. Bosanquet, Cnwc y Llwyn, Brechfa, Camarthen, Camarthenshire, SA32 7QR
• 20-22, 50, 70-73, 79, 85-86 : G.P. Rothero, Stronlonag, Glenmassan, By Dunoon, Argyll , PA23 8RA .
• 25-34, 44-45, 81-83 : Mr N.G. Hodgetts, 15 Earlish, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9XL

Moss Referees:

• 1-2, 4-12, 140-142, 145, 148: Dr M.O. Hill, CEH Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxon OX10 8BB.
• 29, 31-40, 42-48, 51-57 : G.P. Rothero, Stronlonag, Glenmassan, By Dunoon, Argyll , PA23 8RA .
• 20, 21*, 22-23, 30, 179-184, 189-192, 202 : Dr A.J.E. Smith, 5 Queens Gardens, Craig-y-Don, Llandudno, Conwy, LL30 1RU .
• 3, 14-19, 24-28, 49-50, 71-72, 91-97, 103-106, 121: Mr N.G. Hodgetts, 15 Earlish, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9XL
• 58-70, 73-90: Dr D.F. Chamberlain, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR .
• 21*: S.D.S. Bosanquet, Cnwc y Llwyn, Brechfa, Camarthen, Camarthenshire, SA32 7QR .
• 98, 107, 109-115, 122, 178, 188, 193-201, 203-204: Dr D.T. Holyoak, Quinta da Cachopa, Barcoila, 6100-014 Cabecudo, Portugal.
• 116-120: A. Orange, Department of Biodiversity & Systematic Biology, National Museum & Gallery Cardiff, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF1 3NP.
• 13, 41, 99-102, 108, 126-131, 151-158, 175, 185-187, 205-213, 215-216 : R.D. Porley, Natural England, Evidence Team, Block A, Government Buildings, Coley Avenue, Coley Park, Reading, RG1 6DT.
• 132-136, 138-139, 143-144, 146-147, 149-150, 159-174, 176-177, 214: T.L. Blockeel, 9 Ashfurlong Close, Dore, Sheffield, S17 3NN .