Low Altitude Mosses from Northeastern New Guinea

Abstract

The mosses listed below represent collections made by Mr. Ross G. Robbins during 1958-59 in northeastern New Guinea. The 1958 collections are mostly from the Lower Rawu-Atitau area, Madang District (cited below merely, as Madang); the 1959 collections are from the Wewak-Angorum area, Sepik District (cited merely as Sepik), both from relatively low elevations. From previous experience I rather expected that these collections would be broadly representative of the Indomalayan moss flora but suprisingly enough there were many unusual records of well known species together with an astonishing number of undescribed types showing the exceptional richness of this tropical insular flora. The total of 124 species inelides 16 new records for New Guinea and 16 species described as new. Nearly three-fourths of the species are Indomalayan types, mostly of a rather broad distribution but more rarely, as shownl by Exodictyon sullivantii, Rhizogonium setosumn, Rhacopilum breviseturm and Rhizohypnella sundaensis, of a restrietedrange. Until more information from the extensive unexplored areas, especially the high peaks of the central ranges, is available, it is impossible to form any adequate idea of the extent and relationship of the New Guinea moss flora. The important contributions made by R. G. Robbins and L. J. Brass over the last two decades have provided a broad basis for future study but the full implications of the work remain to be clarified. Species preceded by an asterisk are new to New Guinea. Complete series of specimens are in the herbarium of the Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization, Canberra, Australia, and in the writer's herbarium; types of new species are in the latter collection. Collection-numbers cited in italic type are those of Mr. Robbins.