Bryophyte Diversity and Evolution

Special issue commemorating Dr David Meagher 1956–2023 (Cover)

D. CHRISTINE CARGILL, MICHAEL STECH, MEREIA TABUA, MATT VON KONRAT — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

Cover

Special issue commemorating Dr David Meagher 1956–2023 (Table of Contents)

D. CHRISTINE CARGILL, MICHAEL STECH, MEREIA TABUA, MATT VON KONRAT — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

Table of Contents

David Meagher (1956–2023)

ANDI CAIRNS, ANDREW FRANKS, NIELS KLAZENGA — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

Described by a leading Australian botanist as ‘Australia’s most competent bryologist’, David Meagher’s broad knowledge of Australian bryophytes was extraordinary. He was well-respected by bryologists around the world for his MSc research on the leafy liverwort genus Bazzania, and his PhD thesis on the bryophytes of Lord Howe Island. In the last twenty years, David published over 60 papers, most with him as the single author but several in collaboration with other Australian bryologists. He described twelve new species of Bazzania, including nine in Australia, two in Papua New Guinea and one in New Zealand. With colleagues he named two new moss species and reported several range extensions and new records in the Australian Wet Tropics. David’s fieldwork on flora and fauna extended to Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Lord Howe Island, the Kermadec Islands in the South Pacific, and the mid-west of the USA.

Anoectangium stracheyanum and Pseudocrossidium hornschuchianum (Pottiaceae, Bryophyta) in New Zealand

BEN O. VAN ZANTEN, PHILIP SOLLMAN — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

The first author has made six bryological expeditions to New Zealand, in 1959, 1968, 1973–1974, 1982, 1993 and 2000 (van Zanten 2019). In 1993 both authors collected in 106 sites, from both the North and South Island, resulting in a collection of about 1700 numbers. All the material is deposited in the herbarium Leiden (L), except for a smaller part that is at the moment not yet fully accessible. The first author did many preliminary identifications in his large New Zealand collections. Experiments were conducted from these collections utilizing the spores from fruiting material with several resulting publications, including van Zanten (1978) and van Zanten & Pócs (1981). The second author gathered mainly tiny acrocarpous mosses, on the whole pottiaceous material. We found it worthwhile to publish here two mosses that are apparently new records for New Zealand.

Kahakuloa operculispora, a new Hawaiian simple thalloid liverwort in a new genus and family, Kahakuloaceae (Fossombroniales)

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

Kahakuloa operculispora, a new simple thalloid liverwort endemic to Hawaiʻi, so far only known from high elevation bogs in western Maui, is described and illustrated. The thallus has prominent reddish-purple rhizoids, uniseriate ventral slime papillae and lacks scales. The plants are dioicous; male plants have antheridia sunken in several rows of dorsal chambers, subtended by scales, while female plants have clustered archegonia enclosed by thick, barrel-shaped involucres that develop serially at the plant apex, before fertilization, and are arranged in a single dorsal row at maturity; perichaetial scales and pseudoperianths (defined as involucres developing after fertilization) are lacking. The capsules are spherical, 2−3 stratose, and dehisce irregularly; the spores are areolate and have a unique operculum-like disk on the proximal face. Molecular and morphological evidence supports placement of the plant in a new genus and family in the order Fossombroniales, suborder Fossombroniineae. Kahakuloa is the first liverwort genus endemic to Hawaiʻi, and Kahakuloaceae is the only known endemic Hawaiian land plant family.

Bazzania polita sp. nov., a rare New Zealand species (Lepidoziaceae, Marchantiophyta) with an assessment of branching type as a character

DAVID GLENNY, STELLA FISH — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

Bazzania polita sp. nov. is described from New Zealand from two collections. It resembles B. exempta in having leafy branches that are predominantly ventral-intercalary, but the leaves are more broadly rectangular, and the dorsal leaf margin is more ampliate. The underleaves of B. polita are connate with the leaves on both sides versus free in B. exempta, and they are toothed as well as lobed versus lobed but untoothed in B. exempta. Neither leaves nor underleaves of B. polita are caducous (leaves are caducous in B. exempta). The hyaline portion of the underleaf surface and the leaf margins of B. polita are asperulate, versus smooth throughout in B. exempta. Seven New Zealand species that commonly have leafy ventral-intercalary branches were sampled for variation between populations. In five species the proportion of leafy ventral-intercalary branches varied a great deal, suggesting that branching type in these species is environmentally influenced. If a species with a high proportion of leafy ventral-intercalary branches is known from a single specimen, it cannot be concluded that this is a constant feature of the species.

Warburgiella spinososeta (Bryophyta: Sematophyllaceae): a new moss species from Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi

SI HE, TIM FLYNN — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

Warburgiella spinososeta is described and illustrated as a new moss species and a new genus record from Hawaiʻi. The new species is morphologically similar to W. cupressinoides and W. leptorhynchoides to some extent, but it differs in having entirely smooth, strongly thick-walled, porose laminal cells, a strikingly spinose upper seta, and a campanulate-cucullate calyptra with a papillose apex and an entire base.

**A new Riccardia (Aneuraceae, Marchantiophyta) from Myanmar**

FRANK MÜLLER — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

A new species of Riccardia, R. meagheri, is described from mountainous areas of northern Myanmar. The new species differs from other species by 1) inner cells of main axis and branches in thallus cross-section flattened, much wider than high, irregularly shaped and with curved cell walls, 2) dorsal epidermis cells mamillose protruding forwards, ventral epidermal cells enlarged, but externally flat, not mamillose, 3) a winged, translucent, single-layered margin on both the main axis and branches, 4) the identical structure of the main axis and branches in thallus cross-section.

Acidodontium indicum (Bryaceae: Bryophyta)—a new species from the Western Ghats of India

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

Acidodontium indicum sp. nov. (Bryaceae), is described and illustrated from the Western Ghats of Kerala. Since the genus has not been reported from India, it represents a new generic record as well. The species is compared with Acidodontium megalocarpum (Hook.) Renauld & Cardot and A. exaltatum (Spruce ex Mitt.) A. Jaeger. Acidodontium indicum is distinguished by small broadly lanceolate to more or less spathulate leaves having a strong, short excurrent costa, margin completely entire, bordered by 1–4 rows of long incrassate cells, short setae, capsule clavate with short apophysis, operculum conic without apiculus and endostome with high basal membrane and forked endostome segments diverging at a different angle.

New records and range extensions for liverworts (Marchantiophyta) in the Australian Wet Tropics bioregion

DAVID MEAGHER, TAMÁS PÓCS, ANDI CAIRNS — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

Three species of liverworts are reported as new to Australia, all from the Australian Wet Tropics bioregion: Colura corynophora, Drepanolejeunea serricalyx, and D. tricornua. Significant range extensions within the bioregion are reported for another two species. Cololejeunea kapingaensis, previously reported as ramicolous, is here reported as an epiphyll.

**Two new records of Fissidens (Fissidentaceae, Bryophyta) for South Africa**

MARIA A. BRUGGEMAN-NANNENGA, JACQUES VAN ROOY — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

Two pluripapillose semilimbate species of Fissidens, the East African F. ferrugineus and the wide-spread African F. schweinfurthii are for the first time recorded from the Republic of South Africa.

Additional Bryophyte Taxa from the Cook Islands

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

It is evident that the bryophyte flora of the Cook Islands remains poorly documented. Here, ten moss species and five liverwort species of Lepidoziaceae are newly reported for the Cook Islands. These records include Calomnion denticulatum, previously known only from Samoa, Ectropothecium viridifolium, previously known only from Hawai’i, and Tricholepidozia quadriseta, previously known only from Australia. Also, thirteen new island records of mosses are reported for Outer Islands of the group and additional information is provided for some previously published reports.

**New occurrences of the liverwort Treubia insignis (Treubiaceae, Marchantiophyta) from the southern Philippines and insights into its distribution and habitat preferences**

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

Treubia insignis, previously known for the Philippines from a single collection obtained in 1913, is rediscovered just over a century later, this time from the southern Philippines. Habitat preference, at least in the southern Philippines, is along riparian corridors of small streams in high-quality montane hardwood tropical rainforests.

**New insights into the genus Stoneobryum (Bryophyta: Orthotrichaceae) based on recent collections of the two known species**

FRANCISCO LARA, ISABEL DRAPER, RICARDO GARILLETI — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

The morphological traits of the two known species of the genus Stoneobryum are reexamined based on newly collected materials. Observations on the Australian species, S. bunyaense, are derived from a recent collection made at the type locality, where it has been rediscovered. Those of S. mirum are based on recent field collections from numerous locations in eastern South Africa. Comprehensive descriptions of both species and illustrations of their key morphological characters are provided. The new data complement and correct previously available descriptions, especially the original one for the type species of the genus, S. bunyaense. Stoneobryum arises as a highly differentiated genus, well characterized by sporophytic and gametophytic characters. Its two species are very similar, but nevertheless certainly distinct; an identification key is provided.

**Recircumscription of Lopholejeunea sikkimensis (Lejeuneaceae: Marchantiophyta) and its varieties in India**

PRIYANKA -, S.K. SINGH, ARUN K. PANDEY — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

The taxonomy of Lopholejeunea sikkimensis var. tenuicostata, L. sikkimensis var. kumaunii and L. sikkimensis var. dentata is evaluated. Based on study of numerous collections of L. sikkimensis, followed by comparison with the protologues of the varieties, we conclude that var. tenuicostata and var. kumaunii are not distinct from the typical variety. Hence both the varieties are placed here under synonymy of L. sikkimensis. Lopholejeunea sikkimensis var. dentata, however, is accepted as a distinct taxon. A detailed revised taxonomic description of L. sikkimensis is provided along with line drawing illustration and photographic plate for future identification and reference.

**Species Delimitation in Sciadocladus (Pterobryellaceae, Bryophyta)**

DIEGO SÁNCHEZ-GANFORNINA, NEIL E. BELL — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

Sciadocladus is a distinctive genus of large dendroid mosses restricted to New Zealand, New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands. Of the two extant species, S. kerrii is endemic to New Zealand, while S. menziesii is found in New Zealand, New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands. Populations of S. menziesii from New Caledonia and the Solomons have been recognised as subspecies splendidum, distinct from the New Zealand populations.

Given the geographical isolation of the two subspecies of S. menziesii, we hypothesised that the endemic S. kerrii could have arisen in situ in New Zealand through speciation from S. menziesii subsp. menziesii. This would make these two taxa more closely related to each other than S. menziesii subsp. menziesii is to S. menziesii subsp. splendidum, challenging the species concept of S. menziesii. We tested this hypothesis by conducting a phylogenetic analysis of molecular data from multiple exemplars of Sciadocladus, including material from both New Zealand and New Caledonia. The results show all specimens of S. menziesii strongly supported as monophyletic, sister to a clade comprising S. kerrii specimens, thus rejecting the hypothesis and corroborating the established taxonomy. Implications for interpretation of the phylogeographic history of the genus are discussed.

Early Land Plants Today: Index of Liverwort and Hornwort names published 2021−2022

LARS SÖDERSTRÖM, ANDERS HAGBORG, MATT VON KONRAT — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

Centralization and standardization of biodiversity data increases accessibility and can lead to the development of checklists and other resources as powerful and important tools for taxonomy and conservation. The publication of new liverwort and hornwort names remains vastly scattered across dozens of journals. Thus we continue the longstanding index series of published names of liverworts and hornworts with 2021 and 2022. The list herein includes the following: six higher taxon names, 15 generic names, 81 infrageneric names, 187 specific names, 32 infraspecific names, three infrageneric autonyms and 13 infraspecific autonyms. Among them are 24 names of fossils as well as six illegitimate and 64 invalid names. Six older names omitted in the earlier indices are included.

**A checklist of Frullania (Frullaniaceae, Marchantiophyta) in Sulawesi based on herbarium specimens and literature**

IDA HAERIDA, ANDI SALAMAH, MEGA ATRIA, ATIK RETNOWATI — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

A study of the Frullania (Frullaniaceae, Marchantiophyta) of Sulawesi based on herbarium specimens stored in Herbarium Bogoriense (BO) and related literature, recognizes 20 species on the island belonging to the subgenus Chonanthelia (one species), subgenus Diastaloba Spruce (seven species), subgenus Homotropantha (four species), subgenus Saccophora (one species) and subgenus Trachycolea (seven species). Frullania cordistipula is new to Sulawesi.

**Passage of spores of the dung moss Tayloria callophylla (Splachnaceae) through an avian digestive tract—a novel mode of dispersal?**

RYAN J. DEREGNIER, JULIANE GAVIRAGHI MUSSOI, A.C. GASKETT — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300

The dispersal of reproductive material plays a key role in the ecology of plants. Dung mosses (Splachnaceae), have evolved to utilise insects to disperse spores to habitat sites consisting of dung or dead animals—a marked departure from the wind based spore dispersal seen in other mosses. However, adapting to insect dispersal likely precludes long distance airborne dispersal, and limits dispersal events to the movements of the spore bearing insect. However, there are several disjunct populations of these mosses, incompatible with insect dispersal, raising questions over the manner of their origin. Hypotheses put forward include the dispersal of the mosses to these sites by birds. Here, the possibility that insectivorous birds could internally transport spores is explored by feeding insects bearing spores to captive myna birds. We tested if the spores of the New Zealand dung moss, Tayloria callophylla, can survive gut passage. Ultimately 9 of 10 dung samples produced viable moss colonies after a period of 30 days, demonstrating the survival of the spores through an avian digestive tract. Our results provide evidence for a unique model of dispersal in dung mosses, where a spore bearing insect is eaten by a bird that eats insects transports the spores in its gut over a much greater distance than otherwise likely with the insect alone.