Atractylocarpus costaricensis (C. Muell.) Bartr., New to North America North of Mexico, and Campylopus carolinae Grout, New to Florida

Abstract

A collection from eastern Missouri originally determined as Campylopus flexuosus (Hedw.) Brid. was later determined by Frahm to be Atractylocarpus costaricensis (C. Muell.) Bartr. (Redfearn 27840-sMs, Mo, herb. J.-P. Frahm). This species, heretofore known from Mexico and Central America, occurred in Stoddard County, ca. 4 km SE of Bloomfield, NEI? sec. 1, T.25N., R.10E. It was growing on a log in a spring at the base of Crowley Ridge, an elevated strip of land that traverses the Southeastern Lowlands Region of Missouri. This ridge is noted for the presence of distinctly eastern or northeastern species such as Fagus grandiflora, Liriodendron tulipifera, Ilex opaca, Bartonia paniculata, Obolaria virginiana and Epifagus virginiana while the adjacent lowlands are occupied by plants characteristic of the Gulf Coastal Plain such as Taxodium distichum, Leitneria floridana, Carya aquatica, Trachelyspermum difforme, and Mikania scandens (Steyermark 1963). The area where A. costaricensis occurs is also the habitat for two bryophytes rare in Missouri, Riccardia palmata (Redfearn 1976) and Sphagnum fimbriatum (Redfearn 27822-sMs, Mo). Atractylocarpus costaricensis is an important addition to the list of bryophytes with tropical affinities that occur in the Interior Highlands, a list that includes such species as Hyophila involuta, Leucobryum albidum, Sematophyllum adnatum, Campylopus tallulensis, Thuidium minutulum, Syrrhopodon texanus, Hookeria acutifolia, Trichostomum mollissimum and Entodon macropodus. The presence of plants with tropical affinities in the Interior Highlands has been attributed to their being a part of the widespread Tertiary Flora that has survived in the Interior Highlands, later, in part, migrating onto the Coastal Plain (Sharp 1939; Steyermark 1959). On the other hand, the occurrence of Atractylocarpus costaricensis in Missouri may represent a case of longdistance dispersal since its habitat is along the well-known Mississippi flyway for migratory birds. Sterile plants of Atractylocarpus costaricensis are hard to distinguish from Campylopus species with ventral stereids in cross section of the nerve. However, the sporophytes being nearly always present will differentiate this species from other dicranaceous species by the straight, elongate setae and cylindric, erect capsules with peristome teeth divided nearly to the base (Fig. 1). Another collection, from Florida, was originally determined as Campylopus introflexus (Hedw.) Brid. Frahm subsequently determined that it was misidentified and is, in fact,