Three Nomenclatural Changes in Pottiaceae (Musci)

Abstract

Nomenclatural upgrades are provided for Saitoa Zander, S. peruviana (Williams) Zander, and Barbula eustegia Card. & Thir., due to priority of another name for the first two and perceived need for a change in taxonomic status for the third. SAITOBRYUM Zander, nom. nov. TYPE: Globulina peruviana Williams Saitoa Zander, Phytologia 65: 430. 1989, horn. illeg. nec Saitoa Rajendran & Muthappa, Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. sect. B, 89: 185. 1980. Saitoella Menzel, J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 71: 239. 1992, hornm. illeg. non Saitoella S. Goto, J. Sugiyama, M. Hamamoto & K. Komagata, J. Gen. Appl. Microbiol. 33: 76. 1987. SAITOBRYUM PERUVIANUM (Williams) Zander, comb. nov. Globulina peruviana Williams, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 43: 325. 1916. TYPE: PERU. Araranca, Cook & Gilbert 177a (NY). Globulinella peruviana (Williams) Steere & Chapm., J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 36: 222. 1946. Saitoa peruviana (Williams) Zander, Phytologia 65: 431. 1989. Saitoella peruviana (Williams) Menzel, J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 71: 240. 1992. Efforts to provide a new monotypic genus name for Globulina peruviana Williams have been stymied by discovery of recent names of fungi with priority. Determined to finally validly name the genus for Kamezo Saito, a muscologist contributing significantly to the understanding of the Pottiaceae, I propose the above name Saitobryum, with an appropriate combination for the sole species, Saitobryum peruvianum. This curious taxon has papillae restricted to the medial area of the rounded leaf, anacrogynous archegonia, and apparent pseudodichotomous branching (Zander 1976). It is further discussed and illustrated by Zander (1989, 1993) and Crum (1994). BARBULA CONVOLUTA var. EUSTEGIA (Card. & Th6r.) Zand., comb. nov. Barbula eustegia Card. & Th6r., Bot. Gaz. 30: 17. 1900. Barbula convoluta var. eustegia is known only from western North America. It has the same gametophytic characteristics as the typical variety of B. convoluta Hedw., including perigoniate buds on the soil at the base of the archegoniophores and the large rhizoid-borne tubers in the soil. Barbula sect. Convolutae B. & S. in Europe has apparently differentiated into a number of distinct species and varieties as discussed by Limpricht (1890) and Casares-Gil (1932), most of which, however, are not found in North America (Zander 1979). Plants in the type collection of var. eustegia (NY) are smaller than is typical for the species, but other collections (e.g., types of B. whitehouseae Crum [CANM] and B. chrysopoda C. Miull. [NY]) may have the large size of, for example, the European var. commutata (Jur.) Husn. Large plants of any variety of this species growing in mesic environments are more likely to have distinctly recurved leaf margins. Although Steere (1938) and Crum (1965) have commented on the similarity of this taxon to the European B. enderesii Garov. (as B. flavipes B. & S.), specimens of B. enderesii I have seen commonly have narrowly acuminate leaves (but the same small perigoniophores). Although the var. eustegia is clearly a western North American taxon, attempting to ascribe North American sterile collections to either var. eustegia or the typical variety (or even trying to match American fertile collections with any European variety with consistency in character combination) is presently futile. Additionally, three specimens: UTAH. Salt Lake Co., Flowers 3151, 7291 (COLO) and BRITISH COLUMBIA. Vancouver Isl., Schofield 28431 (DUKE) are clearly intermediates in the important characters given in the key below distinguishing between var. convoluta and var. eustegia, supporting my apprehension that var. eustegia is not quite a basic taxonomic unit. KEY TO VARIETIES OF BARBULA CONVOLUTA IN