A brief history of the bryological exploration of the Azores

An account of the bryological activities on the Azores is given. Three phases can be distinguished: one at the end of the 19. century, when first collections of non-bryologists were made, which resulted in the discovery of less than one third of the presently known species and the description of many so called endemics. A second phase in the thirties of the 20. century is characterized by an intensive collecting activity of some bryologists, which enormously raised the species numbers. In a third phase at the end of the 20. century, tourism as well as activities of local bryologists raised again the species numbers. Revisions of genera reduced the number of endemic species and revisions of herbarium specimens of doubtful records even reduced the species numbers of hepatics

New records of mosses from Dominican amber

Hypnum cupressiforme, Entodon macropus, Homalia glabella and Calyptothecium duplicatum are recorded as new from Dominican amber. Earlier records of Neckera spec. have to be transferred to Calyptothecium duplicatum. These records raise the total number of all mosses known from Dominican amber to 14. All mosses so far reported from Dominican amber are extant species which occur today in the Dominican Republic. This could indicate that the mossflora in the island of Hispaniola has not changed during the past 20-40 Mio years, but also falsifications of fossils in amber have to be taken into account, which can be suspected from the quality of some of the specimens

New combinations in the genera Atractylocarpus and Metzleria

The type species of Atractylocarpus has revealed to be a species of a genus which was later introduced as Camylopodiella. To avoid taxonomic confusions, it was proposed to keep the current use of Atractylocarpus and Campylopodiella by amending the genus Atractylocarpus. This proposal was rejected by the ICBN committee. Therefore the valid genus for all species so far comprised in Atractylocarpus is Metzleria and all species so far included in Campylopodiella must be transferred to Atractylocarpus. Accoringly, all necessary new combinations are introduced here: Atractylocarpus himalayanus (Broth.) J.-P. Frahm , Atractylocarpus malagensis (Herz.) J.-P. Frahm Metzleria comosa (Dix.) J.-P. Frahm, Metzleria madagascariensis (Thér.) J.-P. Frahm, Metzleria nana (Williams) J.-P. Frahm, Metzleria patagonica (Herz. et Thér.) J.-P. Frahm

An evaluation of the bryophyte flora of the Azores

The diversity of bryophytes on the different islands of the Azores varies much between 104 and 324 species. Attempts have been made to explain the heterogenity of the bryoflora. There is a correlation between species numbers and age of the islands in the way that the youngest islands (Pico) has the lowest species numbers in spite of the fact that it is the highest island. The species numbers of the other islands are correlated with the maximum elevation and with the size of the islands. The liverwort-moss ratio varies between 1.21 and 1.67 and shows a distinct humidity gradient between the islands. The floristic affinities between the islands are calculated by a cluster analysis. They show no correlation with the location of the islands (nearest neighbour), size, age, elevation or species numbers, which indicates that the species composition is mainly determined by chance. Ten species (2,3%) are endemic to the Azores and 14 species (including one genus) are endemic to the Macaronesian Islands. Some of the endemics are questionable, others may occur elsewhere in the tropics under a different name, but there is fossil prove that the others are relicts from the Tertiary which survived extinction during Quaternary in Europe

Ecology of bryophytes along altitudinal and latitudinal gradients in Chile

The bryophyte vegetation in twenty-eight hectare plots in forests of S-Chile between 38° and 42°S and sea level and the forest line has been studied. Since bryophytes are fully dependend on atmospheric water and nutrient supply, they are good indicators of ecological conditions, especially for humidity. Therefore cover of epiphytic bryophytes, percentage of hepatics, composition of life forms and phytomass of epiphytic bryophytes were used as parameters. Cover and phytomass of epiphytic bryophytes as well as percentage of hepatics show moderate values in the lowlands, peak values in the montane belt (400-800m) and low values in the high montane to subalpine forests. This zonation corresponds with the composition of life forms and is attributed to a higher humidity in the montane belt. Life forms characteristic for the lowlands and submontane belts are pendants, those for the montane belt are wefts and tails, and those for the high montane and and subalpine belts are mats and cushions. The same zonation is found in New Zealand at comparable latitudes. The altitudinal differences are much stronger than the latitudinal ones. Compared with similar transect studies in New Zealand, there is a comparable zonation based on bryphytes. The percentage of hepatics as a good indicator of humidity, is – both in Chile and New Zealand - higher in the transects along the coast with higher precipitation, lower in transects in the inland with less precipitation, and increasing with altitude. Compared with tropical rain forests, the “mossiness” of temperate rain forests expressed by phytomass of epiphytic bryophytes per hectare, cover and percentage of hepatics is comparable to tropical rain forests above 2000 m, which is the corresponding elevation with regard to the mean annual precipitation. In Chile, however, there is a distinct decrease of “mossiness” in the high montane and subalpine forests, which is attributed to special climatological conditions, whereas bryophytes reach maximum cover and phytomass in the tropical high montane and subalpine forests. A comparison with montane forests in Europe in 48°N reveal, that phytomass and percentage of hepatics is distinctly less than in the true rain forests of the southern hemisphere

More records of mosses from Dominican amber

Hypnum spec., Orthostichella cf. pentasticha, Syrrhopodon flexifolius and Porotrichum aff. substriatum are recorded from Dominican amber (c. 25 mio yrs. b.p.). The first two species were known before from Dominican amber, the last two are newly reported

A type catalogue of Campylopodioideae and Paraleucobryoideae (Musci, Dicranaceae) : part 2, Campylopus

All species of Campylopus Brid. are listed, including citations of basionyms and homotypic synonyms, completed by citation of the type specimen and its location, as well as the current use or other uses of the name

A contribution to the Campylopus flora of Chile

A key to the species of Campylopus known from Chile is given, completed by records of Campylopodioideae of the author in southern Chile. Campylopus acuminatus Mitt. var. kirkii (Mitt.) J.-P. Frahm is reported for the first time for Chile

Frullania tamarisci var. azorica (Jubulaceae, Marchantiopsida) : a new taxon from the Azores

Frullania tamarisci (L.) Dumort. var. azorica J.-P.Frahm (subg. Frullania) is described as new from the islands of Terceira and Pico (Azores, Portugal). It resembles var. tamarisci, but differs in longly apiculate, incurved leaf apex ending in an unicellular tip and not decurrent underleaves

The taxonomic status of Bryum arachnoideum C. Müll. and B. lanatum (P. Beauv.) Brid.

A study of an isotype of Bryum arachnoideum C. Müll., a poorly understood species described from tropical Africa, revealed that this species is distinct from B. argenteum Hedw. var. lanatum (P. Beauv.) Hampe. The differences between both species are listed. All specimens from tropical Africa named as B. arachnoideum by the author must be attributed to B. argenteum var. lanatum. The differences between B. argenteum var. argenteum and var. lanatum, both morphologically and ecologically, are so important that it is proposed to treat var. lanatum on a species level as B. lanatum (P. Beauv.) Brid