Homalothecium sericeum (Hedw.) Schimp.

This species grows on vertical, horizontal and sloping surfaces, often fully exposed to sun and wind, but best in humid, lightly shaded sites. It occurs on stone or mortared walls, on tiled, thatched or asbestos roofs, on concrete, and on outcrops of many different rock types, especially limestone but also igneous and siliceous. It is also  common on living bases, boles and main branches of many tree species, mostly on less acid bark types (but recorded from birch and conifers). It is not a pioneer and grows mostly on mature trees. It occurs on the ground in beech woods on chalk, in quarries, on hard-packed soil, and, rarely, on sand dunes and sea-cliff turf. It is susceptible to aerial pollution and tolerating mean aerial SO2 contents of only up to 22 ppm (Gilbert 1970), Homalothecium sericeum declined around industrial areas during the 20th century, especially as an epiphyte, but its recovery in recent years is reflected in the increased number of records in formerly polluted areas (Blockeel et al. 2014). Its altitudinal range is ca. 0–2,680 m.