Three Mosses New to Mainland China

Abstract

Pseudoleskeella papillosa (Lindb.) Kindb. and Plagiothecium latebricola (Wils.) Schimp. are newly reported from China. Lopidium trichocladon (Bosch & Sande-Lac.) Fleisch. is reported new to mainland China. While studying Chinese specimens collected from Sichuan and Yunnan provinces of southwestern China, we discovered an interesting moss that appeared to be close to Leptopterigynandrum Broth. and Trachyphyllum Gepp. However, a combination of the following characters, including short, double or forked costae and the rhombic and nearly undifferentiated leaf cells with papillae on dorsal surfaces, points to Pseudoleskeella papillosa (Lindb.) Mitt., a rare and phytogeographically interesting species. Pseudoleskeella papillosa differs from species of Leptopterigynandrum by the presence of rather conspicuous papillae on the dorsal side of the leaves, especially of the younger ones; and it differs from the species of Trachyphyllum by the presence of rhombic and nearly undifferentiated leaf cells. Pseudoleskeella papillosa is very close to P. tectorum (Brid.) Broth., but can be easily distinguished from the latter by leaf cells dorsally papillose at their upper ends. Pseudoleskeella papillosa was previously considered to be an arctic-alpine species having a circumpolar distribution restricted to Finland, Norway, Sweden, Siberia, and Greenland (Lewinsky 1974; Wilson & Norris 1989). It has been reported several times from North America, arctic Alaska and the Northwest Territories of Canada by numerous authors (Crum 1985; Steere 1975; Vitt 1976). Except those from Greenland, all North American records of Pseudoleskeella papillosa are considered misidentified (Wilson & Norris 1989). In Asia, this species occurs just outside the arctic zone (Lewinsky 1974). Its range in southwestern China is phytogeographically significant and establishes a circumpolar distribution similar to the much more widely distributed species P. tectorum. The habitats in southwestern China apparently provided a suitable sheltered environment for this arctic element to survive during the post-glacial periods. The Chinese plants are mainly growing on tree trunks at higher elevations between 2,500 to 3,600 meters. Specimens examined. -CHINA. SICHUAN. Markam Co.: Redfearn 35074b (MO, sMs). Dao Chen Co.: He 31681 (Mo, PE). Ruo Er Gai Co.: He 30608 (MO, PE). Ba Tang Co.: He 31520 (MO, PE); Zhong Za District, He 31425, 31342 (Mo, PE). YuNNAN. Dali Co.: Redfearn et al 1524 (KUN, MO, PE, sMS). Plagiothecium latebricola (Wils.) Schimp. was considered to be an European and North American species (Ireland 1969) until Iwatsuki (1974) reported this species from Hokkaido, Japan. Ignatov and Afonina (1992) reported it from Russia, Baltic, Ukraine, Caucasus, Siberia, and middle Asia. Plagiothecium latebricola appears to be a rare moss confined to rotten stumps in swamps, bogs, and marshes. In Sichuan Province, it was found with Tetraphis pellucida on rotten stumps in a Picea forest. The plants ofPlagiothecium latebricola are small, delicate, glossy, and yellowish green, with symmetric to nearly symmetric and erect-spreading leaves. The general habit of this species is similar to that of Isopterygium except for the distinctly decurrent leaves. The small, erect, and symmetric capsules with cilia rudimentary or absent and the shorter setae (ca. 7-10 mm long) distinguish it from other species of Plagiothecium. Gemmae were described from European and North American material (Ireland 1969). We have also seen gemmae from a Russian collection (Ignatov s.n. 24. 7. 1987, Mo). However, no gemmae were found in our Chinese specimen, nor did Iwatsuki (1974) report gemmae from the Japanese specimens. The Chinese station of Plagiothecium latebricola represents the most southern locality for this taxon. Specimen examined. -CHINA. SICHUAN. A Ba Co.: Mai Er Ba District, He 31016 (Mo, PE). Lopidium trichocladon (Bosch & Sande-Lac.) Fleisch. was reported new to eastern Asia (Japan a d Taiwan) by Horikawa (1934). This species is widely distributed in southern Asia from Thailand, 0007-2745/95/383-384$0.35/0 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.246 on Tue, 27 Sep 2016 05:57:53 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 384 THE BRYOLOGIST [VOL. 98 Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Borneo, and Philippines. The present report represents the first record in mainland China. The Chinese specimen was verified by B. Tan. Specimen examined.--CHINA. YUNNAN. Jinghong Co.: Xishuangbanna, Redfearn 33684 (FH, KUN, MO, SMS, PE).