Hanaa Shabbara

The Second Record of a Natural Apogamous Moss Sporophyte Worldwide

Abstract An apogamous sporophyte is reported on a gametophore of the moss Fissidens crassipes subsp. warnstorfii (M.Fleisch.) Brugg.-Nann. The apogamous sporophyte is developed in lateral position near the base of the stem of the gametophore. The seta is relatively short and delicate and the capsule without spores. The moss was found growing in a greenhouse in Cairo, Egypt. This is the second record of a natural apogamous moss sporophyte worldwide. A relevant discussion on the phenomenon of apogamy is given.

Mosses of the Egyptian Conservation Areas: II. Omayed Protected Area

Abstract Twenty-nine moss taxa are recorded, for the first time, from Khashm El-Aish plateau in Omayed Protected Area (OPA), Mediterranean coast, Egypt. Sixteen of them represent new records to the western Mediterranean coast (Mm) and six [Aloina brevirostris (Hook, et Grev.) Kindb., Entosthodon cf. commutatus Durieu et Mont., Didymodon cordatus Jur., Tortella flavovirens (Bruch.) Broth., Tortula cuneifolia (Dicks.) Turner, T. muralis Hedw. var. aestiva (Hedw.) Brid.] to Egypt bringing their totals to 63 and 170 taxa, respectively. OPA represents 0.07% of Egypts area but sustains over 17% of its moss flora. The most common taxa are species of Tortella. The most frequent genera are Tortella, Didymodon and Bryum. The largest genera are Didymodon, Bryum and Tortula. The Pottiaceae represent ca. 76% of the flora and comprise over 70% of taxa recorded with sporophytes. Similarity of the bryoflora of OPA is mainly with Sinai and Isthmic Desert in Egypt.