Liverwort Family Research Articles

Bryophytes of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia

Context Although the vascular flora of Western Australia is renowned for high species diversity and endemism, very little is known about the state’s moss and liverwort flora. Aims In 1984 we conducted surveys of bryophytes in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve. Methods We searched comprehensively for bryophytes at seven major habitats on the Reserve, collecting voucher specimens subsequently identified with modern literature and with the help of Australian bryophyte experts. We updated the text to reflect modern taxonomy and considering modern literature on phytogeography and hypotheses associated with OCBIL (Old, Climatically Buffered, Infertile Landscapes) theory. Key results A total of 38 species of mosses representing 25 genera from 13 families were identified along with 10 species of liverworts representing nine genera and six families. Two moss species (Distichium inclinatum and Tortella dakinii) were previously unknown from Western Australia. Another represented a new species (Pleurophascum occidentale) in a heretofore monotypic genus, family, and order. The Pottiaceae, with 11 species, was the most diverse family of mosses. The Lepidoziaceae, with three species, was the most diverse family of liverworts. Conclusions Lower levels of endemism in bryophytes versus vascular plants may reflect the bryophytes’ capacity for wide and long-distance dispersal of spores and fragments. Bryophyte diversity and endemism may be less than on extensive OCBILs because much of the Reserve emerged from the ocean as recently as the mid-Pleistocene. Implications This, the first listing published of bryophytes on a Reserve in WA, indicates the potential rewards for further survey of mosses and liverworts.

The Bryophyte Phylogeny Group: A revised familial classification system based on plastid phylogenomic data

AbstractBryophytes, a monophyletic group comprising three major lineages, diversified soon after the terrestrialization of land plants. However, their internal phylogenetic relationships remain controversial. In this study, we reconstructed the ordinal and familial phylogeny of bryophytes using the largest plastid data set to date, including 549 taxa that represent almost all known orders and two‐thirds of families. The strongly supported phylogenetic inference enabled us to propose in mosses seven newly segregated families, that is, Baldwiniellaceae, Calyptrochaetaceae, Ctenidiaceae, Herpetineuraceae, Isodrepaniaceae, Pseudotaxiphyllaceae, and Rozeaceae, and one reduced family, that is, Climaciaceae. We also transferred the liverwort family Calyculariaceae from Fossombroniales to Pelliales. Recent advancements in molecular phylogeny have revolutionized bryophyte classification, tending to be more fragmental. Hence, we further propose a revised familial classification system for bryophytes that includes 45 orders and 142 families in mosses, 23 orders and 85 families in liverworts, and five orders and five families in hornworts.

The Neotropical endemic liverwort subfamily Micropterygioideae had circum-Antarctic links to the rest of the Lepidoziaceae during the early Cretaceous.

Lepidoziaceae are the third-largest family of liverworts, with about 860 species distributed on all continents. The evolutionary history of this family has not been satisfactorily resolved, with taxa such as Micropterygioideae yet to be included in phylogenetic analyses. We inferred a dated phylogeny of Lepidoziaceae using a data set consisting of 13 genetic markers, sampled from 147 species. Based on our phylogenetic estimate, we used statistical dispersal-vicariance analysis to reconstruct the biogeographic history of the family. We inferred a crown age of 197 Ma (95% credible interval 157-240 Ma) for the family in the Australian region, with most major lineages also originating in the same region. Micropterygioideae are placed as the sister group to Lembidioideae, with these two lineages diverging from each other about 132 Ma in the South American-Australian region. With South America and Australia being connected through Antarctica at the time, our results suggest a circum-Antarctic link between Micropterygioideae and the rest of the family. Crown Micropterygioideae were inferred to have arisen 45 Ma in South America before the continent separated from Antarctica. Extinction from southern temperate regions might explain the present-day restriction of Micropterygioideae to the Neotropics. Our study reveals the influence of past geological events, such as continental drift, on the evolution and distribution of a widespread and diverse family of liverworts.

Plagiochila javanica (Sw.) Nees & Mont. (Marchantiophyta: Plagiochilaceae) rediscovered from the Western Ghats after 180 years

Plagiochila javanica, a widespread Asiatic member of the liverwort family Plagiochilaceae, is rediscovered from Western Ghats of Kerala, India after about 180 years of its first record from the country. The present discovery is a new record for Kerala state. A detailed description along with illustrations and images of the species are provided.

The Type Specimens of Plectocolea and Solenostoma (Marchantiophyta) in Some Japanese and European Herbaria

Solenostomataceae are among the most diverse and, at the same time, least described liverwort families in Pacific Asia. Many species therein are known only from type descriptions, which are sometimes incomplete. The present account is based on a study of 81 type specimens belonging to 61 species known mostly in East Asia, although also in other regions; it provides line-art figures and photomicrographs of all the studied taxa. One lectotype and one epitype are designated, and six new combinations are proposed. as Additionally, the indication of a necessity of an epitype for Plectocolea setulosa Herzog is justified.

Bryophyte flora of Mount Tebu Forest Reserve, Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia.

A checklist of the bryophyte flora of Mount Tebu Forest Reserve in Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia, is presented. A total of 189 taxa in 71 genera and 26 families were enumerated. This figure represents 63% of the 298 bryophyte species recorded so far for the State of Terengganu. Out of 189 taxa of bryophytes, 26 liverworts are new additions to the bryoflora of Terengganu. The most prominent liverwort family is represented by Lejeuneaceae, with 54 species from 17 genera, while the moss family is the Sematophyllaceae, with 34 taxa in 13 genera. The majority of the species are epiphytes, either corticolous or ramicolous. Almost half of the bryophyte species have wider elevational ranges and occur from the lowlands to the summit of Mount Tebu.

A preliminary assessment of bryophyte diversity in some alpine areas of East Sikkim, India

In the East Sikkim district of India, a field survey revealed the presence of 49 distinct bryophyte taxa, with a significant representation from the Pottiaceae, Leucobryaceae, and Grimmiaceae families. Remarkably, this survey contributes 12 taxa as novel records for Sikkim. Among the bryophytes catalogued, 45 belong to the mosses, while four are liverworts, collectively spanning 18 families, which include 15 moss families and three liverwort families. The predominant growth forms observed are characterized by cushions, mats, or turfs, underscoring the adaptability of these bryophytes to diverse substrates and microenvironments. These bryophytes are recognized for their resilience in challenging environmental conditions, making them valuable indicators of extreme climate and the geological composition, including calcium rocks and gneiss, found in the area.

Bryophytes of mangroves of Bocas del Toro, Panama

This is the first survey of bryophyte diversity in the mangroves of Panama. The study was done in the mangroves of Bocas del Toro Province, Panama, in September 2016 and, July, May and August 2017. Bryophytes were collected from prop or stilt roots of mangroves, the mid-lower part of the trunks and the lower branches. In areas inundated at high tide, additional samples were collected on the cortex of palms, its rootlets, other angiosperm trees and from decomposing logs. Twenty-six species of liverworts and seven of mosses were identified. The most diverse and predominant liverwort family was the Lejeuneaceae with twenty-two species and two varieties and, among the mosses, the Calymperaceae with three species. Species affinities with other tropical mangroves were analyzed and liverworts were found to be the dominant element. Among the liverworts collected, two are new reports for Panama: Ceratolejeunea confusa and Frullanoides mexicana. Additional surveys of the cryptogamic vegetation of Panamanian mangroves are urgently needed due to the accelerated deforestation caused by anthropic activities and the potential loss of important biodiversity.

Reference bioimaging to assess the phenotypic trait diversity of bryophytes within the family Scapaniaceae

Macro- and microscopic images of organisms are pivotal in biodiversity research. Despite that bioimages have manifold applications such as assessing the diversity of form and function, FAIR bioimaging data in the context of biodiversity are still very scarce, especially for difficult taxonomic groups such as bryophytes. Here, we present a high-quality reference dataset containing macroscopic and bright-field microscopic images documenting various phenotypic characters of the species belonging to the liverwort family of Scapaniaceae occurring in Europe. To encourage data reuse in biodiversity and adjacent research areas, we annotated the imaging data with machine-actionable metadata using community-accepted semantics. Furthermore, raw imaging data are retained and any contextual image processing like multi-focus image fusion and stitching were documented to foster good scientific practices through source tracking and provenance. The information contained in the raw images are also of particular interest for machine learning and image segmentation used in bioinformatics and computational ecology. We expect that this richly annotated reference dataset will encourage future studies to follow our principles.

Radula heinrichsii (Radulaceae, Porellales), a leafy liverwort from the mid-Cretaceous of Myanmar

With ca. 250 extant species, Radula is one of the largest genera of the Porellales and the sole extant genus of the leafy liverwort family Radulaceae, widely distributed around the world. The earliest fossils of Radula were described from the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber of Myanmar, namely R. cretacea and R. heinrichsii. Here, we report two new exquisitely preserved specimens of R. heinrichsii from Kachin amber, yielding new morphological characters for an extended description of this taxon. Cladistic analysis based on a matrix of fourteen morphological characters and a molecular backbone constraint suggests its close relationship with extant species of Radula subgenus Amentuloradula. But due to distinctive morphological characters in R. heinrichsii and the younger estimated age for the crown group, it is likely that R. heinrichsii represents a stem group of the subgenus Amentuloradula. The genus Radula is characterized by a high degree of morphological homoplasy, which makes the assignment of fossils to this extant taxon difficult and requires profound knowledge of the morphology of fossils.

Re-appraisal of lacewing mimicry of liverworts from the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, Myanmar with a description of Selaginella cretacea sp. nov. (Selaginellales, Selaginellaceae)

A unique case of liverwort mimesis in lacewing larvae of Phyllochrysa huangi has been reported from the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, Myanmar. However, we caution to take this interpretation for granted because of the still incomplete assessment of the plant diversity preserved in the Kachin amber inclusions. Our re-examination of the plant fossils regarded as models for Phyllochrysa huangi received evidence for a new species of the lycophyte genus Selaginella, namely S. cretacea sp. nov., and two indeterminate species of Selaginella, besides four species of the leafy liverwort family Frullaniaceae, including Frullania baerlocheri, F. kachinensis, F. partita, and Protofrullania cornigera. Careful morphological comparison recovered that the flat larvae of Phyllochrysa huangi closely match the dorsiventrally complanate strobili of Selaginella subgenus Stachygynandrum (lycophytes) represented by S. cretacea sp. nov. In turn, the larval morphology did not show obvious similarities with the shoots of the leafy liverworts. In the context of the improved taxonomic survey of the plant inclusions, it is evident that the so-called liverwort mimesis in Cretaceous lacewing larvae was actually lycophyte mimesis. The larvae of Phyllochrysa huangi provided the earliest evidence of a putative extinct Phyllochrysa-Selaginella mimetic system.

The chemical constituents of the n-hexane extract of Marchantia polymorpha L.

Introduction: Marchantia polymorpha belongs to the liverwort family. Marchantia species are known to possess diverse chemical constituents and bioactivities. As part of a chemically systematic study of liverworts, the isolation and structural elucidation of six compounds from Marchantia polymorpha were reported. Method: A dried powder of Marchantia polymorpha was macerated in methanol to prepare the crude extract. Then, the liquid–liquid partition method was applied to this extract to separate it into different polar extracts, including n-hexane, ethyl acetate extracts, and residue. The Sephadex LH-20 and silica gel column chromatography and recrystallization methods were used to isolate organic compounds. Their chemical structures were determined by usual techniques such as MS and NMR spectra interpretation in comparison with the experimentally spectroscopic data reported. Results: Six compounds consisting of marchantin G (1), quercetin (2), kaempferol (3), hexaconazole (4), indole-3-carboxylic acid (5), and sitosterol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (6) were isolated. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, although all isolated compounds were known to be present in other species, they were reported from this species for the first time.

Post-fire effects on bryophytes in High-Altitude Fields

High-Altitude Fields are ecosystems with high bryophyte abundances and diversities. One of the principal threats to these ecosystems are wildfires, which mainly affect terricolous species. Chronosequence studies can aid in understanding post-fire effects on bryophytes. We studied terricolous assemblages of bryophytes in the High-Altitude Fields of Itatiaia National Park (INP) by establishing three 20x1 m transects in five areas: three areas of a post-fire chronosequence (treatments 2017, 2007, and 2001) and two control areas. We analyzed the species richness, floristic composition, life-forms, and floristic similarities of those transects, identifying 27 species of mosses (18 genera; 11 families) and 26 species of liverworts (20 genera; 16 families). Ditrichaceae was the principal moss family and Cephaloziellaceae the principal liverwort family. The life-forms encountered were turf (43 %), weft (38 %), thalloid (10 %), and mat (9 %). Turf predominated among mosses (85 %), and weft among liverworts (62 %). Species richness and floristic compositions varied among the post-fire gradients. The grouping dendrogram and ordination diagram evidenced greater similarity among transects within the same area. However, there was no evident gradient of floristic composition along the post-fire gradient, and further studies will be needed to quantify environmental gradients and their influences on bryophyte composition.

Эпиксильный компонент бриофлоры Полесского региона

The article gives a detailed description of the epixylic component of bryoflora of the Polesye Region on the terri-tory of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. According to the results of a long-term comprehensive study of the Polesye bryocomponent, 468 species of bryophytes from three divisions have been recorded to date: Anthocerotophyta, Bryophyta, Marchantiophyta. On rotting and decaying wood, 159 species were identified, including 52 species belonging to the division Marchantiophyta, 107 – Bryophyta. The most representative in terms of species diver-sity are the family of liverworts Scapaniaceae, Cephaloziaceae, Calypogeaceae, Aneuraceae and Lophocoleace-ae, mosses – Brachytheciaceae, Amblystegiaceae, Dicranaceae, Hypnaceae and Mniaceae. The distribution of bryophyte species depending on the degree of decomposition of wood is shown, the forms of growth of bryophytes are considered, and hydromorphs are analyzed. An annotated list of bryoepixyls of the Polesye Region has been compiled. The systematic position, main synonyms, growing conditions, distribution in regions, ecological features, and occurrence are indicated for each species.

Obtusifoliaceae, a new family of leafy liverworts to accommodate Konstantinovia, newly described from the Hengduan Mts. (South China) and Obtusifolium (Cephaloziineae, Marchantiophyta)

Obtusifoliaceae, a new family of leafy liverworts to accommodate Konstantinovia, newly described from the Hengduan Mts. (South China) and Obtusifolium (Cephaloziineae, Marchantiophyta)

Novel classification and biogeography ofLeptolejeunea(Lejeuneaceae, Marchantiophyta) with implications for the origin and evolution of the Asian evergreen broad‐leaved forests

AbstractAlthough recent molecular phylogenetic analyses have greatly improved our understanding of the classification of the large liverwort family Lejeuneaceae, the frequent incongruencies between morphology‐based taxonomy and molecular phylogeny have hindered our understanding of evolutionary diversification within the group. Here we focus onLeptolejeunea(Spruce) Steph., a pantropical epiphyllous genus in Lejeuneaceae with 40 species. Phylogenetic studies on the genus have been hampered by insufficient taxon sampling, leaving the deep phylogenetic relationships within this group unresolved. We present the most comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the genus to date with sampling of over 80% of species, including the enigmaticLeptolejeunea spinistipula(Mizut.) X.L.He endemic to Borneo. Based on data from three molecular markers with representatives ofLeptolejeuneaand its allies,Leptolejeuneaappeared to be monophyletic following the exclusion ofL. spinistipulaand its transfer toSoellaR.L.Zhu, L.Shu, Qiong He & Y.M.Wei. A total‐evidence approach was taken to resolve the backbone phylogeny ofLeptolejeuneaand a first infrageneric classification ofLeptolejeunea, including a new subgenus and three new sections, is proposed based on integrated molecular and morphological evidence. Reconstruction of the evolutionary history showed a wide ancestral area ofLeptolejeuneaduring the Paleogene that arose in mainland Asia, followed by an accelerated speciation rate. Across the biogeographical history ofLeptolejeunea, long‐distance dispersal had profound effects on population expansion. Our findings suggest that Australasia is a source of biodiversity of Asian evergreen broad‐leaved forests that have been established since the Oligocene and rose after the early Miocene.

Spanning the Globe – The Plant Phylogeny Poster (PPP) Project

Historically, wallcharts and posters created by botanical illustrators, often highly skilled artists, have played an important role in teaching botany at the university level. Large-scale panels and posters can visualize complex interrelationships and entire stories in a clear and appealing overview in graphs, tables, and diagrams. Carrying this concept of educational tools into the electronic era, the Plant Phylogeny Poster project uses this approach for displaying evolutionary relationships in systematic botany. The Angiosperm Phylogeny Poster (APP) displays, as phylogenetically arranged clades, the orders and families of flowering plants (with orders hyperlinked to APweb, Stevens, 2001–onwards), the Tracheophyte Phylogeny Poster (TPP) families and genera of ferns and gymnosperms, and the Bryophyte Phylogeny Poster (BPP) orders and families of liverworts, mosses, and hornworts. The portfolio currently also includes about 30 posters on individual orders and families of angiosperms. Each group within these evolutionary trees is matched with essentially relevant morphological features, biogeographic occurrences, and other information in compactly condensed text blocks. All posters are freely available online, some in more than 30 languages, coauthored by a team of more than 130 botanists. The posters are regularly updated, current literature is cited. The project is expanding steadily and rapidly.

On the phylogenetic relationships of Muscopilio, a new Andean genus of basibiont harvestmen (Opiliones: Agoristenidae)

Based on the most recently published morphological cladistic analysis of the family Agoristenidae, the taxonomic position of an undescribed harvestman species was evaluated. According to the results of an updated phylogenetic analysis, the description of a new monotypic genus is proposed to accommodate this new species. The diagnostic characters of the new genus are: free tergites II and III with three large tubercles, and femora and tibiae of legs II–IV with longitudinal rows of conspicuous tubercles. Muscopilio onod gen. et sp. nov. inhabits Andean rainforests in Cundinamarca department, Central Colombia. Remarkably, almost all individuals collected in the field had at least three families of bryophytes, including mosses (Leucomiaceae) and liverworts (Plagiochilaceae, Lejeuneaceae), growing on their legs, and suggesting a mutualistic relationship between epizoic organisms and harvestmen.

ATP binding cassette importers in eukaryotic organisms.

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are ubiquitous across all realms of life. Dogma suggests that bacterial ABC transporters include both importers and exporters, whilst eukaryotic members of this family are solely exporters, implying that ABC import function was lost during evolution. This view is being challenged, for example energy-coupling factor (ECF)-type ABC importers appear to fulfil important roles in both algae and plants where they form the ABCI sub-family. Herein we discuss whether bacterial Type I and Type II ABC importers also made the transition into extant eukaryotes. Various studies suggest that Type I importers exist in algae and the liverwort family of primitive non-vascular plants, but not in higher plants. The existence of eukaryotic Type II importers is also supported: a transmembrane protein homologous to vitamin B12 import system transmembrane protein (BtuC), hemin transport system transmembrane protein (HmuU) and high-affinity zinc uptake system membrane protein (ZnuB) is present in the Cyanophora paradoxa genome. This protein has homologs within the genomes of red algae. Furthermore, its candidate nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) shows closest similarity to other bacterial Type II importer NBDs such as BtuD. Functional studies suggest that Type I importers have roles in maintaining sulphate levels in the chloroplast, whilst Type II importers probably act as importers of Mn2+ or Zn2+ , as inferred by comparisons with bacterial homologs. Possible explanations for the presence of these transporters in simple plants, but not in other eukaryotic organisms, are considered. In order to utilise the existing nomenclature for eukaryotic ABC proteins, we propose that eukaryotic Type I and II importers be classified as ABCJ and ABCK transporters, respectively.

The liverwort family Lejeuneaceae (Marchantiophyta) of Mount Lubuk Raya, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract. Siregar ES, Pasaribu N, Khairani. 2020. The liverwort family Lejeuneaceae (Marchantiophyta) of Mount Lubuk Raya, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 2767-2776. Lejeuneaceae is the largest family in the liverworts. Information on the species of Lejeuneaceae in North Sumatra is still less reported, especially in Mount Lubuk Raya has never been reported. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the diversity of Lejeuneaceae in Mount Lubuk Raya, North Sumatra. The study was done using survey method by exploring along the hiking tracks on the study site. All the samples found were collected and then identified in the laboratory-based on morphological characters used the existing literature of Lejeuneaceae. Thirty-seven species of Lejeuneaceae, belonging to 18 genera were identified from Mount Lubuk Raya. Eight species are proposed as new reported for Sumatra: Ceratolejeunea belangeriana, Colura vitiensis, Lejeunea curviloba, Lejeunea dipterota, Lepidolejeunea bidentula, Leptolejeunea maculata, Schiffneriolejeunea pulopenangensis, Spruceanthus planiusculus. Identification key of species and pictures of species newly recorded is provided in this paper.