Two new species of Cheilolejeunea (Spruce) Schiffn. (Lejeuneaceae) from Brazil: C. lacerata sp. nov. and C. rupestris sp. nov.

Abstract

Two new species of Cheilolejeunea subgenus Strepsilejeunea from the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil, are described and illustrated: Cheilolejeunea lacerata C. Bastos & Gradst. sp. nov. and Cheilolejeunea rupestris C. Bastos & Gradst. sp. nov. Cheilolejeunea lacerata is distinguished by its lacerated and irregularly dentate antical margin of the leaf lobe. The species is known only from southern Bahia where it occurs in fragments of evergreen rain forest. Cheilolejeunea rupestris was collected in 'campos rupestres' in the Chapada Diamantina, growing on rock. The outstanding features of this new species are the broad, four-cells-wide ventral merophytes, the reniform, shallowly bifid underleaves, and the recurved, obtuse to acute leaf apices. The species approaches C. fragrantissima (Spruce) Steph. and the two may be sister taxa. The similarity of the two species suggests that the separation between subgen. Cheilolejeunea and subgen. Strepsilejeunea may be artificial.