Bryophytes New to Alberta, Yukon Territory and Northwest Territories, Canada

Abstract

Seventeen mosses and four hepatics are reported for the first time from the Yukon Territory, 22 mosses and one hepatic from Alberta and two mosses from the Northwest Territories. Sporophytes were found for the second time on Cyrtomnium hymenophyllum (B.S.G.) Holm. The North Amer- ican distributions of Oedipodium griffithianum (Dicks.) Schwaegr. and Mar- supella revoluta (Nees) Dum. are mapped. Significant range extensions are included for Seligeria oelandica C.Jens. & Medel., S. calcarea (Hedw.) B.S.G. and Isopterygium elegans (Brid.) Lindb. As a result of extensive field work in northwestern Canada over the past few years, we have collected 46 species not previously reported from particular provinces or territories. We note 17 mosses and four hepatics as new to the Yukon Territory, 22 mosses and one hepatic as new to Alberta and two moss species as new to the North- west Territories. Sporophytes of Cyrtomnium hymenophyllum are reported for the first time in North America. A few species of particular interest, which have been reported elsewhere, are also included in our discussion. Such taxa are indicated by an asterisk. The literature on mosses reported from the Yukon Territory was summarized by Vitt (1974a). At that time only 218 species were known from the Territory. Since then, several authors have reported on taxa new to the area. Steere and Smith (1975) re- ported Oligotrichumfalcatum; Steere and Murray (1976) described Andreaeobryum macrosporum, citing a Yukon locality among their records; Horton and Murray (1976) reported two new Encalypta species; Vitt (1976b) presented records of 96 new mosses (93 species) from the Ogilvie Mountains; Douglas and Vitt (1976) reported 16 taxa (10 species) new from the Kluane area; Bird et al. (1977) listed six species from the northern portions; Vitt and Horton (1978) added 21 more from various localities; Frahm and Vitt (1978) reported Campylopus schimperi from the Richardson Moun- tains; Steere and Scotter (1978a) added 18 species from the British Mountains; and Steere and Scotter (1978b) recorded 13 species as new from the southeastern area. With the inclusion of the 17 species reported herein, the moss flora of the Yukon Territory, as presently known, consists of 401 species (424 taxa). The hepatic flora of the Yukon Territory is less well known than that of the mosses. Hong and Vitt (1977) recorded, from the literature and collections, 91 species of he- patics from the Yukon; Horton (1977) reported on 2 phytogeographically interesting species from the Keele Peak area; Vitt and Horton reported an additional species in 1978, while Steere and Scotter reported 5 species new from the British Mountains