The Rediscovery of Rectolejeunea pililoba (Spruce) Schust. (Hepaticae) in Florida

Abstract

Rectolejeunea pililoba (Spruce) Schust. (= Lejeunea pililoba (Spruce) Schust.) was rediscovered recently in several south-central counties of Florida. These are the first collections of this tropical hepatic since the early decades of this century. Rectolejeunea pililoba (Spruce) Schust. (= Lejeunea pililoba (Spruce) Schust.) is a distinctive member of the Lejeuneaceae. It is characterized by an elongated, uniseriate lobule tooth that develops from the postical leaf margin and parallels the stem. The known range of this species is from northern South America through the Caribbean Islands to south-central Florida. Thus, collections from Florida are at the northern limits of its range. During the early part of this century, it was collected in several south-central counties of Florida, the last collection being made in 1916 by O. E. Jennings. In the recent excellent treatment of Rectolejeunea by Schuster (1981), he stated (p. 1155) that . . the species may be extinct in our area, all suitable sites in the above stations having been destroyed. While making collections throughout peninsular Florida in preparation of a hepatic flora of this area, I collected Rectolejeunea pililoba near one of the original sites in Polk County along the Peace River. It grew abundantly there in yellow-green patches on the lower trunks of Taxodium distichum and Nyssa aquatica. All plants were autoecious and freely fertile. Further enhancing recognition was the slight roseate tinge on the edges of the leaves. Within the month, I made additional collections at three stations in other counties of south-central Florida. In all cases the plants were found in the relatively frostfree environments of humid cypress or cypress-gum swamps near water on the bases of Taxodium and Nyssa trees. Furthermore, the plants occurred abundantly and nearly always in pure stands. In Florida, at the moment, the species appears to be in no danger of extinction. Collections are housed in my personal herbarium and duplicates have been deposited in the herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden (NY), the Bryophyte Herbarium of the Florida State Museum (FLAS) and the reference collections of the Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid, Florida. The collection numbers are my own. Collections reported:-POLK Co.: Taxodium swamp along Peace River on Florida secondary 640, ca. 5 km S of Bartow, 81-5374; MARTIN CO.: Port Myaca, E side of Lake Okechobee in drained Taxodium swamp across from roadside rest area at Jct. Florida 76 and US 441-98, 81-5489. HIGHLANDS Co.: hardwood swamp at Price Tract of Archbold Biological Station on Mirror Lake Drive, ca. 1.5 km S of Lake Placid on US 27, 81-5659. HARDEE Co.: Taxodium-hardwood swamp along Peace River at the Community Park of Fort Meade on US 98, 81-5400. Support of this research through grants from the Longwood College Faculty Research Committee and the Longwood College Foundation is gratefully acknowledged. Schuster, R. M. 1981. The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America, Vol. 4. Colombia University Press, New York. 007-2745/82/84$0.25/0 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.249 on Wed, 03 Aug 2016 05:02:36 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms