A new contribution to the moss flora of Baltic and Saxon amber

Abstract

So far, the largest collection of mosses from the Baltic and Saxon amber (Eocene, 37–57 million years b.p.) consisting of 55 specimens is reported. The specimens belong to extant species such as Trachycystis flagellaris (Sullivant and Lesquereux) Lindberg, Trachycystis microphylla (Dozy and Molkenboer) Lindberg, Hypnodontopsis conferta (Goeppert and Berendt) J.-P. Frahm, Atrichum cf. rhystophyllum (C. Müller) Paris, Haplocladium angustifolium (Hampe and C. Müller) Brotherus, Tristichella glabrescens Iwatsuki, Ctenidium capillifolium (Mitten) Brotherus, Campylium cf. squarrosulum (Bescherelle and Cardot) Kanda, not specified species of extant genera such as Aptychella, Campylopus, Campylopodiella, Barbella, Brotherella, Brachythecium, Bartramia, Drepanocladus, Echinodium, Rhizogonium, and Symphyodon, but also to species described in form genera such as Muscites pilifer J.-P. Frahm, Muscites serratus Goeppert and Berendt and Dicranites subflagellare Caspary and Klebs. Several fossil mosses could not be identified but are described here as new as Hypnodonopsis pilifer J.-P. Frahm, Eurohypnum revolutum J.-P. Frahm, Hypnum palaeocircinale J.-P. Frahm, Hypnites lanceolatus J.-P. Frahm and Hypnites complanatus J.-P. The extant species Hypnodontopsis mexicana (Thériot) Robinson has proved to be synonymous with the fossil H. conferta (Goeppert and Berendt) J.-P. Frahm, which has priority. T. glabrescens Iwatsuki and C. squarrosulum (Bescherelle and Cardot) Kanda from Japan are reported for the first time from the Baltic amber.