Richard H. Zander

New national and regional bryophyte records, 39

New national and regional bryophyte records, 39 L. T. Ellis, O. M. Afonina, A. K. Asthana, R. Gupta, V. Sahu, V. Nath, N. Batan, H. Bednarek-Ochyra, A. Benitez, P. Erzberger, V. E. Fedosov, P. Gorski, S. R. Gradstein, N. Gremmen, T. Hallingback, M. Hagstrom, H. Kockinger, M. Lebouvier, L. Meinunger, C. Nemeth, M. Nobis, A. Nowak, T. Ozdemir, J. Pantovic, A. Sabovljevic, M. S. Sabovljevic, P. Pawlikowski, V. Plasek, L. Cihal, J. Sawicki, C. Sergio, P. Ministro, C. A. Garcia, V. R. Smith, S. Ştefănuţ, S. Stow, G. M. Suarez, J. R. Flores, L. Thouvenot, J. Vaňa, J. van Rooy, R. H. Zander Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, U.K., V.L. Komarov Botanical Institute, Saint Petersburg, Russia, Bryology Laboratory, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India, Macka Vocational School, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey, Laboratory of Bryology, Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland, Universidad Tecnica Particular de Loja, Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Loja, Ecuador, Berlin, Germany, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia, Department of Botany, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poland, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Department Systematique et Evolution, Paris, France, Hesselstraat 11, 7981 CD Diever, The Netherlands, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Species Information Centre, Uppsala, Sweden, Roseggergasse 12, Weisskirchen, Austria, CNRS UMR 6553, Universite de Rennes 1, France, Ludwigsstadt, Germany, Corvinus University Budapest, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Hungary, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, University of Opole, Poland, Department of Biology, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey, Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden, University of Belgrade, Serbia, Department of Plant Ecology and Environmental Conservation, Institute of Botany, University of Warsaw, Poland, University of Ostrava, Czech Republic, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland, Museu Nacional de Historia Natural e da Ciencia/Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal, Department of Botany, University of Stellenbosch, Republic of South Africa, Institute of Biology of Bucharest Romanian Academy, Romania, Durrell Institute of Conservation & Ecology, School of Anthropology & Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, U.K., Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, U.N.T., San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina, 11 rue Saint Leon, Perpignan, France, 30 Department of Botany, Charles University, Czech Republic, National Herbarium, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, USA

Triquetrella mxinwana, a new moss species from South Africa, with a phylogenetic and biogeographic hypothesis for the genus

Abstract We describe Triquetrella mxinwana, a new species presently known only from the winter rainfall area of South Africa. Within this region it is common in karroo and renosterveld, but it also occurs in fynbos. It differs from other Triquetrella species in the several low, bifid, papillae on each laminal cell, but is similar to the Australian Leptodontium paradoxum, differing in size and anatomical details. Although sporophytes of L. paradoxum are unknown, those of T. mxinwana have the peristome of Triquetrella rather than Leptodontium. Phylogenetic analysis of data from three chloroplast (rps4, trnL-F and psbA-trnH) and one nuclear (ITS1) loci confirms that T. mxinwana and L. paradoxum are sister taxa and together are sister to the rest of Triquetrella. This placement also better reflects gametophyte morphology, which, though intermediate between Triquetrella and Leptodontium, better fits the former. Divergence levels among species of Triquetrella are very low and molecular clock approaches indicate that all divergences are of Pliocene–Pleistocene age. The estimated time of the split between T. mxinwana and its nearest relative is concordant with independent paleoclimatic estimates of the time of onset of winter rainfall conditions in the Cape. The disjunctive distribution of the genus in areas of Mediterranean climate is attributed to dispersal rather than ancient vicariance.

Ludorugbya springbokorum (Pottiaceae) a new moss genus and species from the Western Cape Province of South Africa

Abstract We describe Ludorugbya springbokorum, a new genus and species of Pottiaceae from the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa. It is gametophytically distinct in the small plants with ovate-lanceolate to spathulate, redawned, plane-margined leaves that are red in KOH, usually bistratose in 1–2(–4) transverse rows at the insertion, with a differentiated border, and a costa section with a semicircular dorsal stereid band, a dorsal epidermis and a differentiated pad of cells on the ventral surface. The immersed, cupulate to short-cylindric capsules with a very long-conic operculum, very poorly developed peristome, and an evertable annulus are also highly distinctive. Spore dispersal is controlled by the annulus, which when dried is rolled inwards, almost closing the capsule mouth, but everts rapidly on wetting, expanding the rim of the capsule mouth. Spore size is distinctly bimodal within individual capsules and highly variable between capsules. At present L. springbokorum is known only from remnant renosterveld patches in the Swartland region of South Africa, and within this highly transformed landscape the species appears to be rare and under considerable threat.

NEOPHOENIX (POTTIACEAE), A NEW AFRICAN MOSS GENUS FOUND THROUGH SOIL DIASPORE BANK ANALYSIS

Neophoenix matoposensis is a newly described taxon obtained after forced growth from soil of experimental fire plots in southern Zimbabwe. It is related to three other austral genera with transparent thecae, but differs in several gametophytic and sporophytic characters. Forced diaspore bank analysis is shown to be of value in uncovering mosses that are small in stature and appear to have a short life cycle and limited time of above-ground exposure. The technique may prove useful in biodiversity analysis in general. Two similarly hyalothecoid pottiaceous species were also uncovered in soil samples from the same area: Bryoceuthospora aethiopica is new to Zimbabwe, Uleobryum occultum (of which U. curtisii is a new synonym) is new to Africa, having been previously known from Brazil and Australia.

Taxon mapping exemplifies punctuated equilibrium and atavistic saltation.

Two or more exemplars of the same taxon forming a nonmonophyletic group on a molecular tree may be viewed as representing surviving populations of a deep shared ancestral taxon, and if different species of the same genus, then theoretically phenotypically static remnants of punctuated equilibrium. That taxon may be mapped on a molecular cladogram and evolutionarily resolved at the taxon level inclusive of all exemplars. The technique for mapping taxa on a molecular tree, termed here caulistics, is much like mapping traits but recovers macroevolutionary information at the taxon level. All lineages arising from the mapped taxon are its direct descendants. Mapped taxa superimposed or overlapping may reveal packaged adaptive traits. When a mapped taxon is well split by another mapped taxon on a molecular tree, atavistic saltation based on triggering an epigenetically retained trait complex is a theoretical explanation. Caulistics combines traditional taxonomy and molecular phylogenetics to reveal previously unknown aspects of the macroevolutionary past.

Vrolijkheidia circumscissa (Pottiaceae), a new moss genus and species from the Succulent Karoo of South Africa

Abstract We describe Vrolijkheidia circumscissa as a new genus and species of Pottiaceae currently known only from the Worcester-Robertson centre in the succulent karoo biome of the Cape Floristic Region. The gametophyte of the new genus is distinguished by the combination of small plants with strap-shaped, bordered leaves red in KOH in which the costa has a single round to semicircular stereid band, the hydroid strand absent, and the adaxial epidermis differentiated. The cleistocarpic capsules with exothecial cells in only one layer and arranged in palisade bands, with circumscisile dehiscence along one or more lines, and no stomates are also unique.

Algaria nataliei (Pottiaceae), a new moss genus and species from the Western Cape Province of South Africa

Abstract We describe Algaria nataliei, a new genus and species from the Worcester-Robertson Karoo region, Western Cape Province, South Africa. Particularly distinctive features of the new genus are the strongly dimorphic leaves with the upper toothed to laciniate-margined, apically notched on one side, and long-awned and the lower entire, weakly but distinctly cucullate and with the costa ending in the apex, the laminal cells bulging ventrally and smooth to weakly papillose but flattened dorsally and strongly papillose, the immersed macrostomous eperistomate capsules with flat to umbonate opercula and flattened or indented bases, and long-conic to mitrate, prorate-papillose calyptrae.

Didymodon bistratosus (Pottiaceae) in the New World

Abstract New to the Americas from California is Didymodon bistratosus J.-P. Hébrard & R. B. Pierrot, differing significantly from congeners by the deep red lower portions of the plant, and 2–3-stratose upper lamina. In California it was found on a sandstone boulder in a mesic oak woodland. Its range worldwide is restricted to California, the Iberian Peninsula and Turkey.

Sporophytes in the genus Saitobryum (Pottiaceae, Bryophyta)

Se presenta una detallada descripcion de Saitobryum lorentzii para Argentina, la que representa una enmienda de la diagnosis original de la especie y el genero. Los caracteres esporofiticos son ilustrados por primera vez a traves de fotomicrografias. Saitobryum lorentzii se diferencia por sus hojas ovadas a obovadas, la zona central de la lamina media pluripapilosa, capsula purpura, cilindrica, sin peristoma y el cuello poco diferenciado.

Acaulonopsis, a new moss genus of the Pottiaceae from Western Cape Province of South Africa, and comments on Vrolijkheidia

Abstract A new genus, Acaulonopsis (Pottiaceae, Bryophyta), including two new species, A. fynbosensis and A. eureka, is described from the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Together with the similarly much reduced pottiaceous genus Acaulon, Acaulonopsis is unique in the family with a very short seta and spherical capsule, which lacks the apiculus found in other genera. The new genus is also distinguished by short plant stature, and a total of about five ovate leaves that clasp closely the capsules in nearly spherical leaf bases. Continuing bryological study of the fynbos region has recently resulted in a number of startling discoveries of bryophytes new to science and distinct at the genus level. A new combination is made for the South African endemic genus Vrolijkheidia (Pottiaceae) with discussion of its dimorphic habitus.