Quick reference list of basic literature to identify tropical African bryophytes

The aim of this short and selected reference list is to guide bryologists in the very scattered African literature when they try to identify specimens, as no standard bryofloras are available for the whole of Tropical Africa. The idea to compile such a reference list was raised during the Tropical Bryology Workshop held by the British Bryological Society, in the Botany School of Cambridge University, on the 21st of September 1990. The list is based on the senior author’s private library and files. We hope that the publication and distribution of such a list, even if incomplete, will prove to be useful for the future taxonomic and floristic works in Tropical Africa with special reference to the Bryologia Africana Project. We also hope that it will encour- age further collecting and identification by those who are not well versed in or do not possess the very diversified taxonomic literature on African bryo- phytes

Two new liverworts for Europe in Macaronesia : Odontoschisma prostratum (Sw.) Trevis. on the Azores and Jungermannia callithrix Lindenb. & Gottsche on the Azores and Madeira

Odontoschisma prostratum (Sw.) Trevis. and Jungermannia callithrix Lindenb. et Gottsche, two liverworts mainly distributed in the Neotropics, are reported at hand of many collections from Macaronesia. O. prostratum occurs on 8 of the 9 Azorean islands, growing on all type of substrates, even epiphyllous, but rarely in bogs. J. callithrix is known from 8 Azorean islands and from Madeira, growing epigeic. The phytogeographical interest of the occurrence on the Azores of some 39 liverworts (among 147) belonging to the neotropical and/or paleotropical elements is discussed. Most of the neotropical species may have been easily transported to the Azores by the frequent depressions (or occasionally storms) moving rapidly at relatively low altitude (3,000 m) from the North or Central American eastern coasts or from the Caribbean islands and Bermuda to Western Europe in a few days. Only a few of these species could have been be introduced by human activities, mainly along the coast

Manual of tropical bryology

Bryophytes belong to the oldest land plants. They existed already in the Palaeozoic 300 mio years ago in forms which were hardly different from the extant species. They remained relatively unchanged with relatively low evolution rates (and are thus often called a „conservative“ plant group), but could successfully establish themselves in an always varying environment from Devonian swamps to Permian forests, Mesozoic deserts and as epiphytes in Tertiary rainforests. They are not eaten by snails or insects, and are resistant against fungi and bacteria

Hepaticae of Cerro Venamo, Venezuela, collected by J. Steyermark

A revision of herbarium material (NY) from Cerro Venamo, Venezuela (5°59’ N, 61°23’ W, 1890 m) yielded 77 hepatic species in 44 genera and 13 families. Most species have a neotropical distribution (75,32%), 6,49%, are pantropical and 9,09% are reported only from the tepuis

Taxonomic results of the Bryotrop expedition to Zaire and Rwanda : 9., Pallaviciniaceae, Haplomitriaceae

Procumbent to ascendent, with terminal branching irregular and usually infrequent (sometimes even lacking). Midrib of well-developed fronds never more than 1/3 of frond width Androecial scales (in the local species) on each side of midrib, the latter remaining free of scales (or with a few at proximal and distal end of androecium)

Current Chinese bryological literature (4)

According to our collections of literature, about 400 scientific papers dealing with Chinese bryophytes have been published in China and abroad during 1990’s. Among these, more than 50 % were published in different scientific journals in China and often written in Chinese with English abstract, which are not well known and assessable for foreign bryologists. Therefore, in addition to previous Chinese literature I-III (Cao et al. 1990, Li et Zhang 1993, 1994), we present the fourth part of Chinese literature herewith. It is hoped that this up-dated list will provide useful information for all people who are interested in bryological research

Threatened bryophytes of the neotropical rain forest : a status report

Tropical deforestation, inevitably, leads to the local loss of bryophyte species. Recent studies show that the degree of species loss may vary considerably and depends on the scale or amount of habitat change that has occurred. Predictably, the shade epiphytes are most seriously affected by disturbance. An estimated 10% of the bryophyte species of neotropical rain forests are under threat. Based on data from recent monographs, a first list of 19 endangered and 27 rare species of these forests is presented. Critical areas for threatened species include Costa Rica and Panama, the Greater Antilles, the Chocó, southeastern Brazil, and parts of Amazonia. Protection of as much as possible of the remaining natural rain forest area seems the best approach to the conservation of the tropical bryophyte flora

Taxonomic results of the Bryotrop expedition to Zaire and Rwanda : 4., a preliminary check-list of the Hepaticae and Anthocerotae from Central Africa (Zaire, Rwanda, Burundi)

A check-list of the Hepaticae and Anthocerotae from Central Africa (Zaire, Rwanda, Burundi) is presented. 267 liverwort species and 4 hornworts are recognized for the area. For Zaire 215 Hepaticae and 3 species of Anthocerotae are recorded. In Rwanda 150 liverworts and one hornwort have been found. Burundi is far less known and only 48 Hepaticae are recorded

Bryophyte flora of Western Melanesia

A project dealing with the hepatic and moss floras of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands has proceeded more than halfway. The revision of the flora is based on the study of ca 17000 specimens collected in 1981. Two new genera and ca 50 new species have been described in 33 published papers and seven manuscripts. Many families, genera and species not previously recorded for the area have been added to the flora. More than 300 names have been reduced to synonyms. The percentage of endemic species of liverworts (40 %) is higher than that of mosses (18 %). Most of the endemic species occur at elevations above 1700 m. The geological history of New Guinea suggests that these high altitude endemics may be relatively young, i.e. less than 10 million years old. The moss flora is more closely related to the floras of Indonesia and the Philippines and continental Asia than to that of Australia. This can be explained by plate tectonics. The altitudinal distribution of hepatic and moss floras partly coincides with the zonation of vegetation proposed earlier. Human influence on bryophyte floras is devastating but a part of the flora may survive in gardens and plantations

El género Radula Dum. (Radulaceae, Hepaticae) en el noreste de Argentina

En la provincia de Misiones son reconocidas ocho especies de Radula (R. macrostachya Lindenb. & Gott., R. episcia Spruce, R. kegelii Gott. ex Steph., R. ligula Steph., R. aurantii Spruce, R. montana Steph., R. quadrata Gott. y R. voluta Tayl.) y en Buenos Aires dos especies (R. aurantii y R. kegelii). Estas son descriptas, ilustradas, se indica el hábitat y la distribución geográfica mundial. Se aportan claves para la identificación de estas especies y una sinopsis con la posición sistemática de las mismas. R. ligula es trasladada a la sección Marginatae Castle ex Grolle. R. flaccida Lindenb. & Gott. es excluída del área de estudio.Eight species of Radula (R. macrostachya Lindenb. & Gott., R. episcia Spruce, R. kegelii Gott. ex Steph., R. ligula Steph., R. aurantii Spruce, R. montana Steph., R. quadrata Gott. and R. voluta Tayl.) are found in the province of Misiones, and two species (R. aurantii and R. kegelii) in Buenos Aires. These are described and illustrated, and habitat and geographic distribution of the species are indicated. Keys for the identification of these species and a synopsis with their systematic position are provided. R. ligula is transferred to the section Marginatae Castle ex Grolle. R. flaccida Lindenb. & Gott. is excluded from the study area