Cololejeunea Species Research Articles

Two remarkable liverworts from human-modified landscape in Eastern Amazonia: Cololejeunea minuscula Pócs and C. satioi sp. nov.

Two remarkable species of Cololejeunea were identified colonizing human-modified landscape in Eastern Amazonia. One is a new discovery for science, here described as Cololejeunea satioi sp. nov. (subg. Pedinolejeunea). It was found on leaves of understory treelets in selective logging forest featuring small to medium-sized clearings with an abundance of lianas, in comparison to natural forest. The other species, Cololejeunea minuscula Pócs (subg. Aphanolejeunea), is a new record for the Brazilian Amazon. It was collected in the same forest as C. satioi, in an agroforestry area characterized by a mix of regional fruit tree species and introduced hardwood species. A full description and illustration of the new species as well as comments on morphology, taxonomy and distribution of the two taxa are provided.

Additions and corrections to the bryophyte flora of Ghana, including a new species of Cololejeunea (Spruce) Schiffn. (Lejeuneaceae, Marchantiophyta)

ABSTRACT Introduction The bryophytes of Ghana are under-recorded, but the country has several important and relatively extensive examples of West African forest likely to support an interesting flora. Of these, Atewa Forest was targeted for survey in 2014, resulting in many records, including 58 taxa new to Ghana. This paper reports the results of further fieldwork, both in Atewa and elsewhere, in 2017, and makes some necessary additions and amendments to previously published data. Methods Bryophyte fieldwork was carried out in key forest sites in southern Ghana during November 2017, and was followed by targeted herbarium studies. Key results A new species, Cololejeunea ankasica, is described, and a new site for the rare Ghanaian endemic C. calcarata reported; a further 27 taxa new to Ghana are recorded, and amendments made to previously published information. Conclusions This study shows that even lowland areas of remaining forest in Ghana are bryologically interesting and that bryophytes are an important but still under-recorded part of Ghana’s biodiversity. It also strengthens the case for National Park status for Atewa Forest, which remains the only known site in Ghana for many species characteristic of higher altitude forest.

Cololejeunea reniformis, a new species from the Wet Tropics of Queensland, Australia (Lejeuneaceae: Marchantiophyta).

Cololejeunea reniformis is described as new based on a single collection from Tully Falls National Park in north-east Queensland. Cololejeunea reniformis is similar to C. cairnsiana in the size and the falcate leaf lobes and ampulliform lobules, features which are distinctive among Australian species, and was initially thought to be that species. While C. cairnsiana is an epiphyll, the single known gathering of C. reniformis was found on bark, and the two species differ in a number of micromorphological characters, including details of the vitta, which contain 6-9 cells in a single row in C. cairnsiana and 12-20 cells in 2 or 3 rows in C. reniformis. Cololejeunea reniformis shares many micromorphological features with the south-east Asian C. ensifera, but differs in its smaller size and falcate leaf lobes, in addition to other characters. Thirty-nine Cololejeunea species are now known for Australia.

A new species of Cololejeunea (Marchantiophyta, Lejeuneaceae) from New Zealand

A new epiphyllic species of Cololejeunea has been found in New Zealand lowland forests, currently from only two sites in the North and South Islands. It has been found on the leaves of four tree species, the fronds of two fern species, and on one liverwort growing in mixed epiphyllous communities with other liverworts and epiphyllous lichens. Cololejeunea velutina is distinctive in its combination of patent, elliptical leaves, high leaf papillae, the presence of a filiform stylus up to eight elongated cells long at the base of every lobule, and lobules with two teeth, the first of which is moniliform comprising two or three cells. In the field the species has a characteristic velvety appearance, by which it can readily be distinguished from other epiphyllous Cololejeunea in New Zealand.

Two new species of Cololejeunea (Spruce) Schiffn. from Western Ghats, India

ABSTRACTIntroduction. During a recent floristic survey of liverworts from Western Ghats, India, two interesting liverworts of genus Cololejeunea were collected from forests in Mahabaleshwar in the state of Maharashtra.Methods. After critical investigation, they have been described as new to science and both species, C. ghatensis G.Asthana & A.Srivastava sp. nov. and C. mehrana G.Asthana & A.Srivastava sp. nov. are illustrated and described here.Key results. Cololejeunea ghatensis is an epiphyllous species growing on angiosperm leaves and has been collected near Chinaman Waterfall, Robbers Cave, Connaught Peak and Polo Ground area. Cololejeunea mehrana has been collected near Monkey point and the latter has an interesting habitat as it was found growing on moss leaves. Cololejeunea ghatensis is monoicous and C. mehrana is dioicous.

The genus Cololejeunea (Spruce) Steph. (Marchantiophyta: Lejeuneaceae) on Lord Howe Island

Cololejeunea elizabethae Meagher & Pócs is described as a species new to science from Lord Howe Island, Australia. This is the second Cololejeunea species known from the island, along with the widespread temperate Australasian Cololejeunea laevigata (Mitt.) R.M. Schust. The new species is distinguished from Cololejeunea laevigata (Mitt.) R.M. Schust. by its hyaline lobe margin, 2–3 lobule teeth and by the large, often confluent trigones and intermediate thickenings of the lobe cells. Differences from other similar species in the region are tabulated. Cololejeunea hebridensis Tixier is considered to be a new synonym of Cololejeunea laevigata.

New or little known epiphyllous liverworts, XX Cololejeunea nosykombae A.Szabó & Pócs sp.nov. from Madagascar

A new epiphyllous Cololejeunea species is described from Nosy Komba Island of northwest Madagascar. Two varieties are distinguished, var. nosykombae and var. laevis. The species is distinguished by its acute, swallow-tail shaped perianth wings, unique in the genus, and by the special leaf dentition in its typical variety. The new species seems to be endemic to the small Nosy Komba Island. Conservation aspects are discussed and the new species is considered to be critically endangered.

A New Species and a New Record ofCololejeunea(Lejeuneaceae, Marchantiophyta) from Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India

A new species of Cololejeunea (Spruce) Schiffn., C. andamanensis sp. nov. is described from South Andaman Island. Cololejeunea pseudoschmidtii Tixier, previously known only from China, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam, is reported from South Andaman Island and the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve in the Nicobar group of the Islands of India.

Bryophytes from the Fiji Islands, VII. Cololejeunea renneri sp. nov. (Lejeuneaceae, Marchantiophyta)

During the biodiversity research of Fiji Islands Matt A.M Renner has collected a Cololejeunea species related to Cololejeunea filidens Benedix, widespread in the Indomalesian region, but well differs by its short, unicellular second lobular tooth and by its thin cell walls without trigones and intermediate thickenings. It is described as Cololejeunea renneri Pocs. With this the number of Cololejeunea species known from Fiji Islands raised to 43. The new species might be more widespread in the Indomalesian-Pacific region, just confused before with Cololejeunea filidens.

Inferring the accumulation of morphological disparity in epiphyllous liverworts

Phylogenetic studies of lineages growing in extreme environments have frequently recovered evidence not only of high level of homoplasy but also of discordance of morphological disparity and species diversity. It has been suggested that this divergence may be caused by developmental constraints and/or natural selection. Here we explored these hypotheses by inferring the phenotypic evolution of the derived liverwort genus Cololejeunea. These liverworts occur preferentially on the surface of leaves or other aerial parts of vascular plants growing in wet forests. The evolution of 12 morphological characters was studied using a phylogenetic framework comprising 70 species of Cololejeunea. The phylogeny was reconstructed using DNA sequences of one nuclear and two plastid regions and enabled the inference of the evolution of the studied morphological characters by determining the frequency of homoplasy. Mantel tests were used to test for correlations of morphological disparity × species diversity and morphological disparity × epiphytism. The phylogenetic informativeness of each binary character was estimated by the D metric of the Fritz and Purvis test, and the relationship between each character and epiphytism was inferred by Pearson’s coefficient. We evaluated the morphospace occupation using principal coordinate analyses. Our results not only recovered high levels of homoplasy but also weak correlations of morphological disparity and species diversity. Morphological disparity was not linked to epiphytism, although positive or negative relationships between some characters and epiphytism were found. The Brownian model of character evolution was not rejected for the studied morphological disparity in Cololejeunea with the exception of asexual propagules. The observations support the prediction that iterative evolution in a well-defined morphospace may result in rampant homoplasy and the observed divergence of disparity and diversity.

<strong><em>Cololejeunea clavatopapillata</em> Steph. — New to Asia</strong>

Cololejeunea clavatopapillata Steph. a small, interesting leafy liverwort was collected as corticolous population during an expedition trip to Nilgiri hills, Western Ghats (Tamil Nadu) which is not only new to India but it is being reported for the first time from Asia. The Indian population of the taxa has been described and illustrated. With this report the genus Cololejeunea, subgenus Aphanolejeunea is now represented by four species viz. C. clavatopapillata Steph., C. diaphana A. Evans, C. karnatakensis Asthana & Srivastava and C. nilgiriensis Asthana & Srivastava in India raising the total number of Cololejeunea species to thirty nine.

Evidence for Rampant Homoplasy in the Phylogeny of the Epiphyllous Liverwort Genus <I>Cololejeunea</I> (Lejeuneaceae)

Abstract Rampant homoplasy can be a major challenge in the classification of land plants that have limited morphological differences and/or ecological diversity, such as liverworts and mosses. Here we present the first comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the derived liverwort genus Cololejeunea and its close relatives. We used three markers (trnL—F, rbcL, and nrITS) and 116 accessions representing the geographic range as well as the morphological diversity of this predominantly epiphyllous genus. The molecular data support three major lineages: Colura, Myriocoleopsis, and Cololejeunea. Myriocoleopsis species were resolved in a clade with Cololejeunea minutissima. Aphanolejeunea and Chondriolejeunea were both resolved as putative monophyletic groups, and nested in the Cololejeunea clade. Cololejeunea angustiflora was found to be sister to the clade comprising the remaining Cololejeunea species. Currently accepted subgenera of Cololejeunea were paraphyletic or polyphyletic. Six out of 30 species with multi...

New or little known epiphyllous liverworts, XIX

Cololejeunea yelitzae, member of subgen. Incalejeunea is described from Venezuela, as new to science. It is characterised by the very variable leaf width from wide ovate to narrow lanceolate within the same plant, by the acute leaf apex and by its acute lanceolate lobule with a wide gap between the 1st and 2nd teeth. Gemmae abundantly develop on leaf surface and even on the perianth. It is widely distributed in the mountain areas from Costa Rica to Bolivia. With this new taxon the known number of Neotropical Cololejeunea species is raised to 71.

Bryophytes from the Fiji Islands, VI

The recent investigation of the Fiji Islands in the Pacific revealed many new records and the known number of Cololejeunea species was raised from 10 to 38. One out of these fell in synonymy and another proved to be a new species. Altogether eight taxa are described here, as new to science: Cololejeunea bifalcata, C. blepharophylla, C. crateris, C. konratii, C. pacifica, C. saroltae, C. schmidtii var. acutepapillosa and C. tuiwawana. The aim of this paper, apart from the description of new species, includes the redescription of Cololejeunea polyantha and the lectotypification of Lejeunea polyantha (on which C. polyantha is based), and to provide a key for all the 43 species recently known from the Fiji Islands. Some new insular records are also added and finally a phytogeographical analysis on the Fijian Cololejeunea flora is made.

Cololejeunea grossepapillosa (Lejeuneaceae: Jungermanniopsida), an inconspicuous species new for New Zealand

Cololejeunea grossepapillosa (Horik.) N. Kitag. is newly recorded for New Zealand. This is the first Australasian record for this widespread species, previously known from southern and eastern Africa, and from China to Papua New Guinea. New Zealand represents the southern and eastern limits for Cololejeunea grossepapillosa, which is one of the few known species of Lejeuneaceae disjunct between tropical Africa and Asia whose distribution extends further to Australasia. Cololejeunea grossepapillosa is readily recognized by its athecal branching, two-celled first lobule tooth, prominent dome-shaped papillae on the leaf-lobe and keel, and production of 16-celled gemmae from the keel and ventral lobule surface. Cololejeunea grossepapillosa brings the number of Cololejeunea species recorded from New Zealand to 13, and highlights the contribution of widespread tropical species to the diversity of New Zealand's Lejeuneaceae flora.

Two more additions to Indian Cololejeunea (Hepaticae: Lejeuneaceae) from West Sikkim

Two species of Cololejeunea (Spruce) Schiffn., viz. C. macounii (Spruce ex Underw.) A. Evans, an Asian-North American disjunct, and C. ocellata (Horik.) Benedix, an East Asian species, are described for the first time in Indian bryoflora from West district of Sikkim.

British Bryological Society expedition to Mulanje Mountain, Malawi. 18. Cololejeunea lichenyae, a new species of Lejeuneaceae (Jungermanniopsida) from Malawi

Cololejeunea lichenyae sp. nov. is described and illustrated from the Lichenya Plateau, Mulanje Mountain, Malawi, and compared with the other known species of Cololejeunea with auriculate, heart-shaped perianths.

Bryophytes of St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean. 1. Three new species of Cololejeunea (Jungermanniales, Lejeuneaceae), C. dianae sp. nov., C. sanctae-helenae sp. nov. and C. grossestyla sp. nov.

Three new species of Cololejeunea, C. dianae M. Wigginton, C. sanctae-helenae M. Wigginton and C. grossestyla M. Wigginton are described and illustrated from St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean. Details of their distributions are provided, and differences between the new taxa and other species of Cololejeunea are discussed. This is also the first report of the genus Cololejeunea from St Helena.

Bryophytes from the Republic of Equatorial Guinea (West Central Africa).VI. Cololejeunea iradieri sp. nov., Cololejeunea magna stat. nov. and their relations to similar species

The group of African Cololejeunea species with a heart-shaped perianth and elongate marginal leaf cells has been studied. Cololejeunea iradieri is described as new from Equatorial Guinea (West Central Africa), while Cololejeunea harrisii Pócs var. magna Tix. is raised to species level. Their relations to similar species, C. amaniensis Pócs, C. harrisii Pócs and C. tenuiparietata Tix., are discussed.

<p><strong>Las Lejeuneaceae (Hepaticae) de Misiones, Argentina II. <em>Cololejeunea</em></strong></p>

The two species of Cololejeunea (Lejeuneaceae subfam. Cololejeuneoideae) found in Misiones, are described and illustrated. C. minutissima subsp. myriocarpa (Nees & Mont.) Schust. is registered for the first time for the provinces Misiones, Formosa and Corrientes in Argentina and for Paraguay; C. spegazzinii (C. Mass.) C. Mass., Lejeunea myriandroecia Spruce and C. myriantha (Herz.) S. Arnell are proposed as new synonyms of this subspecies. C. cardiocarpa (Mont.) Evans is registered for the first time for Argentina (provinces Misiones, Corrientes and Buenos Aires) and for Paraguay.