A review of Gammiella Broth. in Africa : with a range extension to the East African islands and southern Africa

Gammiella ceylonensis (Broth. in Herzog) W.R.Buck & B.C.Tan is the only species of the genus in Africa. Clastobryella pusilla (Thér.) Wijk & Margad., recorded from Madagascar, the only member of the genus still recorded on the moss checklist for Africa, is a synonym of Gammiella ceylonensis. Clastobryella foliicola P.de la Varde is not a synonym of Gammiella ceylonensis but probably an Ectropothecium, thus removing the only west African record for Gammiella. An extension of range into South Africa is also noted, so Gammiella is now known from east and southern Africa and Madagascar

A revision of the genus Radulina W.R.Buck & B.C.Tan (Sematophyllaceae: Bryopsida)

The palaeotropic moss genus Radulina W.R.Buck & B.C.Tan is revised, resulting in the genus being reduced to four species and one variety. The following 14 names become synonyms of the oldest name in the genus, Radulina borbonica (Bél.) W.R.Buck: Hypnum hamatum Dozy & Molk., Sematophyllum subinstratum Besch., Hypnum trachyamphorum Müll.Hal., Sigmatella hamicuspis Müll.Hal. in Paris, nom. nud., Trichosteleum borbonicum var. brachycarpum Renauld & Cardot, Trichosteleum subtile Broth. & Watts, Trichosteleum aequoreum M.Fleisch. ex Dixon, Trichosteleum elegantissimum M.Fleisch., Trichosteleum elegantissima var. scabriseta M.Fleisch., Trichosteleum hamatum var. glabriseta M.Fleisch., Trichosteleum hamatum var. tuberculisetum M.Fleisch., Trichosteleum carolinarum Dixon, Trichosteleum neocaledonicum Thér, Trichosteleum flexuosa-hamatum Dixon. In addition, three of these taxa are lectotypified: Trichosteleum subtile Broth. & Watts, Trichosteleum aequoreum M.Fleisch. ex Dixon and Trichosteleum hamatum var. tuberculisetum M.Fleisch. The following are new combinations: Radulina borbonica var. ferriei (Cardot & Thér. in Thér.) O’Shea (= Radulina hamata var. ferriei (Cardot & Thér. in Thér.) B.C.Tan & Y.Jia), Radulina sematophylloides (Dixon) O’Shea (= Trichosteleum sematophylloides Dixon) and Trichosteleum koghiense (Thér.) O’Shea (= Trichosteleum neocaledonicum var. koghiense Thér.)

A revision of Schoenobryum (Cryphaeaceae, Bryopsida) in Africa

The nine species and two varieties of Schoenobryum reported for Africa were investigated, and no characters were found that uniquely identified any of the taxa to be other than the pantropical Schoenobryum concavifolium. The following nine names become new synonyms of S. concavifolium: Cryphaea madagassa, C. subintegra, Acrocryphaea robusta, A. latifolia, A. subrobusta, A. tisserantii, A. latifolia var. microspora, A. plicatula and A. subintegra var. idanreense; a lectotype is selected for Acrocryphaea latifolia var. microspora P.de la Varde

The mosses of sub-Saharan Africa : 2., endemism and biodiversity

Based on a recent moss checklist of sub-Saharan Africa, an analysis is made of moss diversity and endemism in the area. There are over 3000 taxa, 77% of which are endemic. Figures for diversity and endemism for each country are listed, mapped and graphed, and endemism is also considered at the genus level. As the bryophyte flora of Africa is comparatively poorly known, it is important to be prudent when drawing conclusions about biodiversity and endemism

Bryophytes of Uganda : 3., Phyllodon truncatulus (Müll. Hal.) Buck is replaced in Africa by Phyllodon truncatus (Welw. & Duby) Buck (Hypnaceae, Bryopsida)

All specimens in BM labelled Phyllodon truncatus or P. truncatulus have been examined, together with two new Uganda collections, and all African species conform to the type of P. truncatus, and all American species conform to the type of P. truncatulus. Buck’s (1987) assessment of this genus is supported, and it is confirmed that P. truncatulus does not occur in Africa

Felipponea (Leucodontaceae, Musci) : a new genus for Africa ; to include ‘Leucodon maritimus’ and L. assimilis

Felipponea assimilis (Müll.Hal.) O’Shea is the correct name to be used for all African collections of Felipponea, a species found in Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia, southern and eastern Africa and the East African islands. Hypnum maritimum Müll.Hal. and Cladomnion montevidensis Müll.Hal. are new synonyms. Lectotypes are selected for Neckera assimilis Müll.Hal., Cladomnion montevidensis Müll.Hal. and Braunia peristomata Dixon in Sim & Dixon

Notes on Seychelles mosses : 5., mosses of Frégate Island

In May 1997, the first collections of bryophytes were made on Frégate island, Seychelles. A list of collections is provided. Fissidens sciophyllus is recorded for the first time from the Seychelles

Notes on Seychelles mosses : 3-4., a revision of Papillidiopsis (Broth.) Buck & Tan, Rhaphidostichum Fleisch. and Warburgiella Müll. Hal. ex Broth. (Sematophyllaceae, Bryopsida) in Africa

Three genera of the moss family Sematophyllaceae are revised for Africa as part of a project looking at the mosses of Seychelles. Two of the three species of the genus Rhaphidostichum Fleisch. (Sematophyllaceae, Bryopsida) prove to belong to different genera (Papillidiopsis (Broth.) Buck & Tan and Acroporium Mitt.). One of the two species of Warburgiella Fleisch. is shown to belong to Trichosteleum All species are described and illustrated. The following two new combinations are made: Papillidiopsis mahensis (Besch.) O’Shea (basionym Rhaphidostegium mahense Besch.) and Acroporium subluxurians (Dix. & Thér.) Tan & O’Shea (basionym Rhaphidostichum subluxurians Dix. & Thér.). Papillidiopsis malayana (Dix.) Tan is made a synonym of P. mahensis, and the basionym of Warburgiella leptorrhyncha is altered to Hypnum leptorrhynchum Müll. Hal., Synopsis 2: 313. 1851

Notes on Seychelles mosses : 6., a generic revision of Clastobryophilum M. Fleisch. (Sematophyllaceae, Bryopsida)

The genus Clastobryophilum M. Fleisch. (Sematophyllaceae, Bryopsida) is reviewed, and two species are maintained: C. bogoricum (Bosch & Sande Lac.) M.Fleisch. and C. balansaeanum (Besch.) Broth. C. rufo-viride (Besch.) M.Fleisch. of Madagascar and Seychelles, the only African species, becomes a synonym of the Asian C. bogoricum, as does C. asperifolium (Thwaites & Mitt.) B.C.Tan of Sri Lanka. Several collections named as Clastobryophilum, including the type of C. bogoricum var. laevibogoricum (Dixon) Seki in Nog., are excluded from the genus

Families and genera of mosses no longer believed to occur in sub-Saharan Africa

Twelve genera are excluded from the sub-Saharan Africa checklist based on evidence from literature or re-identification. Atractylocarpus, Chorisodontium, Ctenidium, Dicranodontium, Homalia, Isothecium, Lasiodontium, Meesia and Potamium are excluded as the collections belong to other genera, and Camptochaete, Phyllodrepanium and Ptychomnion are excluded because of evidence of mistaken (or no longer existing) localities. As a consequence, the following families no longer are known from Africa: Echinodiaceae, Lembophyllaceae, Phyllodrepaniaceae and Ptychomniaceae. Ectropothecium nishimurii O’Shea & Ochyra, nom. nov. replaces Ectropothecium mauritianum (Broth.) Nishimura, hom. illeg., and Kindbergia kenyae (Dixon ex Tosco & Piovano) O’Shea & Ochyra, comb. nov. replaces Isothecium kenyae Dixon ex Tosco & Piovano. Lasiodontium mieheanum Ochyra in S. Miehe & G. Miehe, nom. nud., is a synonym of Daltonia angustifolia Dozy & Molk. and accordingly Lasiodontium Ochyra in S. Miehe & G. Miehe, nom. nud., must be placed in synonymy with Daltonia Hook. & Taylor