A preliminary study on the affinities of Philippine, Bornean and New Guinean hepatics

The generic and specific affinities of the Philippine, Bornean and New Guinean hepatic floras were analyzed by calculating the Kroeber's percentage of similarity on the basis of recently published checklists. It is observed that the overall affinities parallel that exhibited by local moss floras except for one important difference. For the three areas, the number and distribution of species of large, actively evolving hepatic genera are noted to be disparate and with few shared taxa. Contrastingly, the large and actively evolving moss genera produce consistently large number of species in all three areas with an equally large number of shared taxa. The strong dependence of many hepatic taxa on asexual reproduction and the poor spore dispersability are accepted as the best explanation to this phenomenon

Three new and remarkable species of mosses from China and the Philippines

Distichophyllum meizhii Tan & Lin and D. wanianum Tan & Lin (Hookeriaceae) collected from southwestern region of China are described as new to science. Also, Horikawaea redfearnii Tan & Lin is described as a new species based on collections from Hainan Island of China and Palawan Island of the Philippines. The sporophytic specimen of Horikawaea Nog. was collected for the first time and support a family placement in Pterobryaceae

Additions to the moss flora of Endau Rompin National Park, Johore State, peninsular Malaysia

In a recent survey of the Endau Rompin National Park (ERNP) in Johore State, 81 species and 4 varieties of mosses were documented. This increases the previous count from 62 species and 3 varieties of mosses in ERNP to 111 species and 5 varieties in total. Of these, 30 species are new records for Johore State. Rhaphidostichum bunodicarpum and Trichosteleum stigmosum are two species new to Peninsular Malaysia. Thuidium assimile is a new record for West Malesia. A new combination, Papillidiopsis aquaticum (Dix.) Boon-Chuan Ho & B.C. Tan is proposed. In terms of species composition, the pan-tropical families of Calymperaceae, Fissidentaceae, Leucobryaceae and Sematophyllaceae predominate the moss flora of ERNP

New and biogeographically noteworthy records of Philippine mosses from Mindanao Island

Sixteen new records of Philippine mosses, namely, Acroporium ramicola, Atractylocarpus comosus, Campylopus flagelliferus, Ectropothecium ptychofolium, Fissidens guangdongensis, Garovaglia bauerlenii, Holomitrium stenobasis, Hypnodendron auricomum, Leucobryum boninense, Macromitrium archboldii, Meiotheciella papillosa, Neolindbergia cladomnioides, Rhynchostegiella vriesei, Schlotheimia emarginato-pilosa, Symphysodontella parvifolia and Trichosteleum singapurense are reported. Atractylocarpus and Meiotheciella are two new generic records for the country. Additional Mindanao records of five uncommon mosses in the Philippines, i.e., Claopodium assurgens, Cryptogonium phyllogonioides, Erpodium biseriatum, Meiothecium bogoriense fo tenuissima and Papillaria leuconeura, are also reported

New records of Thailand mosses collected from Chiang Mai Province

Seven new moss records are reported for Thailand moss flora, namely Anacamptodon latidens, Fissidens beckettii, Fissidens bryoides var. esquirolii, Fissidens bryoides var. schmidii, Fissidens flabellulus, Fissidens guangdongensis, and Weissia platystegia. Anacamptodon is a new generic record for Indochina. Anacamptodon latidens, Fissidens bryoides var. esquirolii, Fissidens bryoides var. schmidii, Fissidens flabellulus, and Fissidens guangdongensis are also new records for the Indochinese moss flora

Glossadelphus; Discovery of a Novel Genus of Moss in Sri Lanka

Genus Glossadelphus Fleisch has been classified under the Family Sematophyllaceae which consists of pleurocarpous mosses. Altogether about 38 species, subspecies, varieties and forms of Glossadelphus have been found throughout the world. Among them, four species of Glossadelphus were recorded in Sri Lanka before 2002. Later these were repositioned under different genera. Therefore, Genus Glossadelphus was not listed under the Sri Lankan moss flora.This study was carried out to examine mosses in Hakgala Botanic Gardens and the border of Hakgala Strict Nature Reserve located beneath the Hakgala rock on August 08th, 2012 as the practical component of the National Workshop on Evolution, Biodiversity and Conservation of Sri Lankan Bryoflora (August 6th to 11th) organized by National Herbarium, Department of National Botanic Gardens, Sri Lanka. Samples were collected randomly and labeled. Morphological characterization was done using stereoscopic and compound microscopes in the laboratory of Royal Botanic Garden, Peradeniya. Specimens were identified up to its genus level using taxonomic keys and illustrations provided in standard taxonomic texts.Specimens were belonged to 11 genera including Genus Glossadelphus. The Glossadelphus specimen was further identified as the G. bilobatus (Dixon) Brotherus. It possessed prominent strongly denticulate leaf margins with spinose double tips of cells which was the distinct characteristic features of G. bilobatus. According to the checklist for mosses in Sri Lanka by Brian O‟Shea (2002) G. bilobatus is not discovered before in this country.Systematic survey is immediately required to discover some new Glossadelphus spp. and for ex-situ conservation of mosses in Sri Lanka

New combinations for the moss flora of China

The following twenty three new combinations and new names are proposed for Chinese moss taxa

Discovery of Some Fissidens Species (Bryophyta, Fissidentaceae), New to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is rich with its Bryoflora (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) even it is a small island. There are 560 species of mosses in the country and Fissidentaceae is the richest monogeneric family among Sri Lankan moss flora, with 38 species of Fissidens. Fissidens is an acrocarpous moss with distichous, alternate and complanate leaves with costae (very rarely lack), size ranges from a few mm (minute bud like) to several cm (medium sized) and the presence of vaginant lamina is very characteristic to the family.Preliminary survey of mosses conducted in Hakgala Botanic Gardens, including the edge adjacent to Hakgala Strict Nature Reserve and Peradeniya Royal Botanic Gardens on August 08 and 10, 2012 respectively with special emphasis on the genus Fissidens. This study was done as a practical component of the National Workshop on Evolution, Biodiversity and Conservation of Sri Lankan Bryoflora organized and conducted by National Herbarium, Department of National Botanic Gardens, Sri Lanka (August 06-12, 2012). Random opportunistic sample collections were done, using a pair of forceps, into paper packets, after careful observations in the field using a set of hand lenses (x10, x15 & x20). Identification was done up to species level and further up to varietal level following some standard taxonomic keys and texts, using stereoscopic and light microscopes.Nine species of Fissidens were identified from the collections; Fissidens anomalus Mont., F. bryoides var. bryoides Hedw., Fissidens ceylonensis Dozy & Molk., Fissidens crenulatus Mitt., Fissidens crispulus Brid., Fissidens flaccidus Mitt., Fissidens gardneri Mitt., F. hyalinus and Fissidens taxifolius Hedw. (F. hyalinus is a species without costae). Four species out of nine have not previously been recorded from Sri Lanka, viz. F. bryoides var. bryoides, F. crenulatus F. hyalinus and F. taxifolius. Therefore, the discovery of these four new species of Fissidens is announced here for the first time, as new species for Sri Lanka. F. bryoides var. bryoides and F. hyalinus, Fissidens taxifolius recorded from Hakgala Botanic Gardens, and F. crenulatus from Peradeniya Royal Botanic Gardens. With addition of 4 new species, number Fissidens species rose to 42 and hence the number of Sri Lankan moss flora increased to 564 specieThe necessity of careful systematic collections, proper identification and determination, reporting and taking suitable measures for in situ conservation of these tiny mosses is a timely requirement. Hence, further survey of Fissidens is being conducted at present

A checklist of mosses from Golden Hope Oil Palm Plantation and surrounding areas, Tawau, Sabah, East Malaysia

A total of 56 taxa in 31 genera and 14 families of mosses were collected from Golden Hope Oil Palm Plantation area. This represents 9.3% of the 597 species of mosses reported for Sabah and 7.7% of the 724 species reported for Borneo. Acroporium convolutum var. horridulum is a new record for Borneo, whereas Ectropotheciella distichophylla is a new record for Sabah. The largest family is Calymperaceae with six genera and 14 species, followed by Hypnaceae with four genera and nine species. Oil palm plantation recorded 25 species of mosses in 16 genera, while its surrounding natural areas recorded 42 species in 25 genera

MOSSES OF GUNUNG HALIMUN NATIONAL PARK, WEST JAVA, INDONESIA

TAN, BENITO C.; HO, BOON-CHUAN; LINIS, VIRGILIO;ISKANDAR, EKA A.P.; NURHASANAH, IPAH; DAMAYANTI, LIA; MULYATI,SRI; HAERIDA, IDA. 2006. Mosses of Gunung Halimun National Park,West Java, Indonesia. Reinwardtia 12(3): 205–214.––150 species of mosses in 74 genera and 25 families are reported for the first time from Gunung Halimun National Park(GHNP)in West Java.Three mosses are new to the Indonesia flora (Distichophyllum collenchymatosum, D. malayense and Fissidens kinabaluensis),and another four mosses represent new records for Java (Dicranodontium asperulum, Daltonia armata, Glossadelphus bilobatus and Syrrhopodon semiliber).In additions, seven can be classified as uncommon mosses in the Malesian region. This shows that the forests of GHNP deserve a high priority of protection not only for the island of Java, but also for Indonesia and Malesia as well