Valid publication and typification of Taxiphyllum deplanatum (Hypnaceae) and other new names of moss taxa distributed in Sullivant's Musci Alleghanienses

Abstract

A brief history of the publication of Musci Alleghanienses, an exsiccata distributed by William Starling Sullivant in 1846, is outlined. An annotated list of 11 new species and one new variety of moss distributed in this exsiccata is presented. It is shown that names of 10 species were effectively published in a review of this exsiccata by Asa Gray in 1846, before 15 January, and only Leucophanes leanum Sull. [ ≡ Brothera leana (Sull.) Müll.Hal.] was validly published on 28 January 1846 on the corrected label of No. 172 in the exsiccata. In addition, the material distributed in No. 60, as an unnamed variety of Leskea polyantha Hedw. [ ≡ Pylaisia polyantha (Hedw.) Schimp.], was described in 1848 by Sullivant as a new species, Leskea tenuirostris Bruch & Schimp. ex Sull. [ ≡ Pylaisiadelpha tenuirostris (Bruch & Schimp. ex Sull.) W.R.Buck]. All these names of moss taxa described from the material distributed in Musci Alleghanienses, except one (Leptodon ohioensis Sull. [ ≡ Forsstroemia ohioensis (Sull.) Lindb.]), are lectotypified in the present paper and their current taxonomic status is indicated. Hypnum paludosum Sull., hom. illeg., distributed in No. 7 of the exsiccata, is discussed in detail and it has been proven that the epithet paludosum was legitimised in 1880 as Thuidium paludosum Rau & Herv. This species now belongs within Helodium Warnst., and it is shown that Elodium (Sull.) Austin, an orthographic variant of this conserved generic name, was invalidly published in 1870 in Musci Appalachiani. The material distributed in No. 50 in this exsiccata was named Hypnum deplanatum Schimp., and this is a nomen nudum, which was validated by Sullivant in 1848 as H. deplanatum Bruch & Schimp. ex Sull., not by Karl Müller Hallensis in 1851 as suggested in Index Muscorum. This name is lectotypified, and it currently refers to the widespread eastern North American species Taxiphyllum deplanatum (Sull.) M.Fleisch.