New national and regional bryophyte records, 44

Abstract

Syntrichia norvegica is a circumpolar arctic- montane species (Smith, 2004), rare at lower altitudes and in southern Europe (Frey et al., 2006). It is known from several south-eastern European countries (Sabovljevic et al., 2008) and now it is recorded for the first time in Croatia. Regarding its conservation status, S. norvegica is red listed in Great Britain (EN), Czech Republic (CR), Slovakia (VU), Bulgaria (NT), Hungary (DD), Romania (VU) and Estonia (VU) (Hodgetts, 2014). It was found in the northern Velebit Mountains, in an area with the most outstanding and extreme karst relief, with steep slopes, perpendicular rocks, screes and deep dolines. The locality is situated in the Pinus mugo Turra belt, but owing to its position in the shaded bottom of a deep, funnel-shaped doline with slopes inclined at more than 70u, the zonal vegetation is replaced by frigoriphilous communities. The main community on the very bottom is Drepanoclado uncinati-Heliospermetum pusillae Surina & Vres 2004, which encompasses many species of cold habitats characterized by long-lasting snow cover, e.g. Saxifraga sedoides L. subsp. prenja (Beck) Beck (glacial relict in the Velebit), Heliosperma pusillum (Waldst. & Kit.) Rchb., Polygonum viviparum L., Myosotis alpestris F.W.Schmidt, Poa alpina L. and Festuca nitida Kit. This community was spread over ca 250 m2 and was bordered by low shrubs of Salix waldsteiniana Willd., which form another frigoriphilous community Salicetum waldsteinianae Beger 1922. In the moss flora, another arctic- montane species, Cyrtomnium hymenophylloides (Huebener) T.J.Kop., is very abundant, and this is the only known locality in Croatia (Blockeel et al., 2009c). Further bryophytes that were present include Sanionia uncinata (Hedw.) Loeske, Orhothecium rufescens (Dicks. ex Brid.) Schimp., Campylium protensum (Brid.) Kindb., Campylophyllum halleri (Hedw.) M.Fleisch., Sciuro-hypnum reflexum (Starke) Ignatov & Huttunen, Platydictya jungermannioides (Brid.) H.A.Crum, Hypnum bambergeri Schimp., Plagiopus oederianus (Sw.) H.A.Crum & L.E.Anderson, and Plagiochilla porelloides (Torr. ex Nees) Lindenb. among others. The population of S. norvegica was vigorous, forming dozens of dense patches of several dm2 on rocks and among other bryophytes and herbs. Plants were typically developed, deep green, with long, reddish leaf points, but capsules were not found.