Syrrhopodon prolifer (Musci: Calymperaceae): A World View

Abstract

Syrrhopodon prolifer Schwaegr. occurs around the world, mainly in the tropics, as nine taxonomic varieties. Syrrhopodon prolifer var. albidus (Thwaites & Mitt) Orbadn & Reese, S. p. var. hispidocostatus (Ren. & Card.) Orbdn & Reese, and S. p. var. tosaensis (Card.) Orban & Reese are new combinations and changes in taxonomic rank. Illustrations, distribution maps, and a key to the taxa are provided. Syrrhopodon prolifer Schwaegr. is a variable and widely distributed taxon with many synonyms in both the neo- and paleotropics (Orbain & Reese 1986; Reese 1978, 1987; Reese et al. 1986). The neotrop- ical representatives were recognized as five taxo- nomic varieties by Reese (1978). See Orban (1985) for discussion of the African taxa of Syrrhopodon. Recent studies by the senior author have revealed the presence of three taxa of S. prolifer in the eastern Africa-Madagascar region, including two varieties previously known only from the Americas and one restricted to Madagascar and Reunion. Two other taxa, from Asia, are recognized here at the varietal level, and a recently described variety from Aus- tralia (Reese 1989) is also included. We here present a key and illustrations, distinguishing characteris- tics, and distribution maps of the nine taxonomic varieties of S. prolifer. Synonymy for the neotrop- ical varieties of S. prolifer was given by Reese (1978). So far as it is known to us, synonymy for the pa- leotropical varieties is noted here. Other synonyms of these varieties, especially the wide-ranging ones, are likely to be discovered. Mosses of the S. prolifer complex have very short stems so that the plants often have a stemless appearance, are mostly corticolous but often ter- restrial, have the leaves bordered all around with elongate, hyaline cells, papillose (rarely nearly smooth) laminal cells, and mostly red-purple rhi- zoids. Leaf cell ornamentation ranges from a single papilla per cell (of occasional occurrence in the var. albidus (cf. Mohamed & Reese 1985, fig. 30) to cells with multiple low papillae or tall multifid papillae. As a general rule, members of the S. prolifer com- plex are commonly found with neither sporophytes nor gemmae.